Can True Love Be Estranged?
by And24Trina
Summary: Callie and Arizona shared the love that most believe you can only experience once in a lifetime, stomped on too many times by life. Now they're divorced and living on opposite ends of the country. Can true love really be estranged, or are the two women destined to find their way back to each other?
1. Chapter 1

**Can True Love Be Estranged?**

 **Author:** And24Trina

 **Pairing:** Calliope Torres/ Arizona Robbins

 **Rating:** T

 **Summary:** Callie and Arizona shared the love that most believe you can only experience once in a lifetime, stomped on too many times by life. Now they're divorced and living on opposite ends of the country. Can true love really be estranged, or are the two women destined to find their way back to each other?

 **Chapter:** 1/10

 **Disclaimer:** Shonda created them blah, blah, blah… So, this one will be shorter but I'm hoping just as good as The Ride… Really hope you like it.

 **XxxxxxxX**

"Hey Callie." Barbara Robbins stepped inside the expansive loft, greeting her ex daughter in-law. "Arizona said she sent you a message that I would be the one coming to pick up our little lady."

"Uh, yeah. She text, said she missed her flight?"

"Oh. Yeah." Callie took in the appearance of the graying woman. Something seemed off. It almost felt like the elder woman was being dishonest. Sofia came around the corner before she could delve any deeper into her thoughts. "Hey lady bug, you all set to go?" Barbara Robbins stood in the foyer of Callie's New York City loft that she was sharing with her girlfriend that she'd followed across the country.

"Grandma!" The young girl was so excited to see her grandmother. With the Robbins' living in Boston, she doesn't get to see her grandparents as much as she wishes she could. Sofia ran into the comfortable embrace of the elder woman's arms. "Is mommy here too?"

"She isn't, I'm sorry bug. But by the time we make it to Boston she'll already be there. Your mommy misses you so much, she can't wait for us to get there." A pang of guilt hit Callie. The Robbins family was gathering in Boston this year for Christmas. Originally it was planned that Arizona would fly into JFK, pick up her daughter and then they would go to Boston together. But this morning Callie had gotten a short text that Barbara would be there instead of her ex-wife. "This everything that you need sweet pea?"

Sofia pulled her backpack on before passing her rolling case over into the capable hands of her grandmother. "Yes grandma."

Tears began to sting at the back of dark eyes. This was the first time Callie was sending her little girl to fly off to spend time with her other mother. Up until now Arizona had flown to the city, spent time with Sofia for a weekend a flown back to Seattle.

Throwing her head back, Callie waved her hands in front of her face as if something had gotten in her eye.

Suddenly the brunette was nearly overwhelmed by emotion. A realization occurred as she looked at her little girl at the door with her bags preparing to cross over the threshold.

No one could argue that Callie was ungrateful when Arizona had shown up at her door that night with their daughter and two airline tickets along with her blessing for them to go make a life in New York. But now. In this moment. Callie could now truly understand the magnitude of what her ex wife had done for her.

"Uhm. Barbara? Can I speak with you for just a moment?" Callie inquired of the elder woman. With an affirmative nod, Arizona's mother moved in the direction she was being beckoned. "Sof, just give me and grandma a minute okay?"

"Can I watch tv?"

"Yeah, go ahead. But Sof… How would you like to stay with mommy a little longer?"

The question had barely gotten its question mark attached at the end before the loudest, most excited squeal was released with the cherubic little girl jumping into her momma's arms. "Yes! Can I please?"

"Sure you can. I bet that would make your mommy so happy." The mother stroked at her daughter's dark locks.

"Momma, can we keep it a secret? I want to tell her."

"Sure kiddo, you can tell her." Callie was barely holding in her emotions at this point. "Go ahead and watch t.v. this won't take long."

Sofia ran off towards the sitting area while her momma and grandma headed off toward the kitchen. Callie barely made it out of her daughter's hearing range before the tears rushed out like a bull at a rodeo.

Barbara wasn't exactly sure of what to do in the moment. Stepping up to the crying woman, she began to rub a soothing hand over the brunette's back. "Hey, hey, it'll be alright. She'll only be gone a few days and I'm sure she'll be calling you all the time." Barbara hoped she was making the woman feel better. "You can even come on up for Christmas if you want… there's plenty of room around the table for everyone." She offered.

"Thank you Barbara." She began to gain control of her sobs. "It's just… I, I thought I knew… but I didn't. I didn't get it. I was so horrible to her. I allowed for things to be said in that courtroom that should've never been said. And she still gave this to me." Callie motioned around the room.

Barbara was attempting to follow along with the broken sentences that escaped between sobs. She was beginning to understand that Callie was now speaking about Arizona. "She gave me this opportunity, and I get it now. I'm only sending her off for a few days… she hasn't even left yet and I already feel like the best part of myself is missing." Callie finally found the strength to stand up right, tears still streaming down her face. "She doesn't start back to school until the fifth… I'm sure she'd like to stay up until then, if that's okay. I know Arizona may have to do some last minute shuffling around, but… it's… I need to thank her, some how."

"I'm sure she'll be ecstatic." Barbara offered a gentle smile. "Can I ask… when's the last time you spoke to Arizona?"

That question was an easy one to answer, but it brought with it great shame. "We haven't really talked since the night she brought Sofia to me with the airline tickets… I mean we text, about Sofia… but, we're both so busy." Callie offered. "Her and Sof talk all the time." That brought a small smile to the brunette's face. "When we got ready to move, Arizona brought her an iPad and programmed her number for Sof to call her whenever she wants. They talk all the time." She repeated a little softer this time, hoping Barbara didn't see through her.

For a moment Barbara considered the younger woman. With a slight nod of her head Callie could tell the elder woman chose to let her off the hook. Truthfully, Arizona had stopped taking Callie's calls shortly after the move. Their correspondence was only through very short texts, and an occasional email. After a few awkward, _How's everything?_ Texts were sent, by the brunette but not acknowledged on the other end Callie quickly realized only correspondence surrounding their little girl would actually be acknowledged.

On her first trip out to visit her daughter, Arizona gave Sofia's camp all of her contact info in the event that anything needed to be shared with her they could just contact her directly. When Sofia started school, Arizona made a trip out for orientation to meet with her daughter's new teachers. She wanted the school to know that just because she lived across the country she would still be completely involved in her child's education and could be reached at any time.

Arizona and the teacher's often emailed back and forth, the blonde wanting to stay abreast with her daughter's day to day learning. Most morning's Sofia would be in the back seat of her momma's car talking to her mommy on her iPad on her way into school. And the same was found nearly every evening. When Arizona would come in town for the weekend, she would be sure to pick up Sofia from school on Friday and return her on Monday morning before heading back to Seattle.

Sofia would have dinner, then take off to her bedroom to call her mommy on FaceTime so the blonde could talk about her day and share story time with her little girl. It wasn't much, but at the same time it was absolutely everything.

It bothered her that Arizona would only respond to her calls with a text, but she let it go because the relationship with her ex and their daughter remained of extreme importance. At first it was a little odd, but with the woman running two departments it was bound to be a lot. And not that Callie had been keeping tabs on her, but there was an obvious increase in the amount of articles the blonde was getting published in medical journals. Their daughter was healthy, and had a relationship with both of her mother's. So Callie, left things the way Arizona apparently wanted them. It was the least she could do. And besides… she knew if there was ever anything to come up, Arizona would come running no questions asked.

Callie stood thinking about everything Arizona did to keep a relationship with their little girl. The sacrifices that were made… "Can you tell her thank you? For me?" Dark eyes channeled back into her kitchen.

Barbara could hear the sincerity in Callie's voice. As much anger as she'd held toward the brunette when her daughter called and told her Sofia was moving across the country with her other mother and her girlfriend, it began to subside. She could see the gratitude in her ex daughter in law. "Okay." She agreed. "We should probably get going. I wouldn't want to miss our flight."

"How about I take you two to the airport?" Callie offered. "I'm off today… and I'm actually starting to get pretty good at getting around. We won't even get lost."

"I don't mind taking a cab." Barbara headed back toward the door. "You should go ahead and enjoy your day off."

"Really… I insist. It'll just take me a quick second to get my coat." The brunette quickly slipped on her boots, calling for Sofia from the other room. "Besides, getting a cab in this weather? It's easier to catch an STD."

Something about Barbara seemed off. It was almost as if she really didn't want Callie to take them to the airport. Callie shrugged it off as misreading the situation, and led them to her car in the parking garage.

The ride held an awkward silence between the two adults. Sofia talked on and on about how excited she was to build a snowman with her mommy and 'the colonel'. With the two adults filling in with stifled conversation every now and again.

When a buzz sounded followed by the outburst of 'silver bells', Barbara quickly reached for her phone in her bag. "Hey sweet pea." She answered the call. "We're headed to the airport now. We'll be pulling in, in no time at all." Callie could hear her ex's excitement through the phone all the way to her side of the car. She wasn't intentionally eavesdropping. It had just been so long since she'd been privy to that bubbly, excited Arizona. "Callie has the day off, so she was nice enough to give us a ride." The conversation continued. A soft 'oh' was heard from the fetal surgeon on the other end, followed by an 'okay'. "Well, I'll let you go. See you soon sweetie."

Callie pulled her car into the airport, following the signs that pointed her in the direction of flight departures. "Okay ladies, we're here. And as promised, we didn't get lost." She pointed out, pulling up to the curb near the sign for Delta. Hopping out of the car, Callie went around to help her little girl out of the car safely. "Be good for your grandparents, and mommy, okay? And have lots of fun." The brunette hugged the growing girl tightly. The hug felt like it went on for all eternity before the mother finally released the miniature brunette, fixing her backpack.

Tears threatened to spill from dark eyes again, as she turned to send her baby into the airport. Waves were sent back and forth. But as Sofia was closer to the door, something caught Callie's eye. Just inside the door was a familiar powder blue puffer coat. Looking a little harder, dark eyes took in the sight of her ex wife waiting just inside.

 **XxxxxxxX**

 **So? What did you think? I hope you liked it… let me know?**

 **xoxo**


	2. Chapter 2

**Can True Love Be Estranged?**

 **Author:** And24Trina

 **Pairing:** Calliope Torres/ Arizona Robbins

 **Rating:** T

 **Summary:** Callie and Arizona shared the love that most believe you can only experience once in a lifetime, stomped on too many times by life. Now they're divorced and living on opposite ends of the country. Can true love really be estranged, or are the two women destined to find their way back to each other?

 **Chapter:** 2/10

 **Disclaimer:** Shonda created them blah, blah, blah… So, this one will be shorter but I'm hoping just as good as The Ride… Really hope you like it.

 **XxxxxxxX**

It had been almost six months since Callie had physically seen Arizona. But there was no mistaking it… That was definitely Arizona, confirmed by the excited bounce that was suddenly found in Sofia as her eyes had just landed in the same spot. "Mommy!" The mother and daughter met in an embrace before Sofia could even get through the door.

Confusion morphed into slight anger. This whole time Arizona was here. Watching her little girl celebrate as tears fell from her ex's blue eyes, anger dissipated and there was hurt left. 'Why?' That's what she thought as she stood on the outside looking in on the family reunion. Now Barbara's small awkward actions made sense. Yet, the situation made no sense at all. Why didn't Arizona just come pick up their daughter from her apartment? Did Arizona not want to see her that much?

A part of her wanted to walk up to the blonde and confront her. But one look at her little girl, and nothing could bring her to impede on this moment. Just standing there looking in, she felt like she was interfering on a private moment. A battle ensued in her mind. Should she stay, or should she go?

Before she could come up with a decision blue eyes looked up, attaching to deep brown. With the wave of a hand, and an even smile. No dimples. Tears shined in blue eyes, while their little girl remained wrapped around her legs. "Thank you." Arizona mouthed the words with a nod before turning with Sofia on the way to start their Christmas holiday.

Walking backward toward her car all Callie felt was an unforgiving emptiness. Her daughter was off to spend the holiday with her other mother. But she would be back in ten days or so. This emptiness wasn't from that… No. This emptiness could only come from the absence of the marvelous connection that was once shared between herself and her ex wife.

She hadn't ever felt this level of loss. Her ex husband cheated on her, and she lost. Her first lesbian lover left her in the middle of the night, and she lost. Her wife cheated on her, and she lost. Her wife became her ex wife… and again, she lost. But nothing felt like the loss that completely encompassed her in this moment. Arizona had completely withdrawn herself from Callie.

But what really bothered her was, _why_ this was bothering her so much. She was living on the total other end of the country, with her girlfriend. A loving, understanding, fun, accepting girl friend. Her girlfriend that she loved. Her girlfriend that had done nothing except love and accept her. Her girlfriend that had offered the first easy relationship she'd been in probably since high school.

She was driving back to their apartment to start preparing to go out to dinner with said girlfriend. But some kind of sadness was beginning to fester within. Sending off a quick text to her girlfriend, Callie pulled back into her parking spot in the garage.

 **Do you mind staying in? We'll go out another night, I promise. I'm just not feeling like being out tonight. –C**

 **Sure, do you want me to pick up pizza on the way? –P**

 **No pizza, no. Maybe some Thai from that place? –C**

 **Whatever you want. I'll be home soon. Love you. –P**

 **See you soon. –C**

Callie kicked off her boots, moving upstairs to her bedroom. Suddenly her outfit was restricting and uncomfortable. Opting for a pair of leggings and oversized sweater, Callie found herself sitting on her daughter's bed with one of her stuffed animals tucked in her lap. Laying down she was met with the one picture that sat on the small dresser beside the toddler's bed.

She could remember the day this picture was taken. It was such a whirlwind that ended in the best way possible. It was the day they were able to bring Sofia home from the hospital. In the picture was both Arizona and a very happy and laughing Callie, while holding Sofia with balloons and a 'welcome home' sign in the background.

A tear slipped from dark eyes as a finger traced over the glass covering the picture. Who were these people? And where did they go? It felt like she was staring through a portal at a past life. The brunette didn't even notice her lips curving into a smile as the memory replayed. Arizona had been trying to get the camera to work. Their family was all finally home, and they were so happy.

Somehow Arizona could reattach a newborn baby's arm without thought, but working a digital camera was proving to be quite the task… After the blonde's fussing with it didn't work, Mark stepped up in attempt to snap a welcome home picture of their blended family. Arizona stood with her fiancé, one arm wrapped securely around Callie's back and her other hand helping support baby Sofia as she lay asleep in the crook of her mama's arm.

Anyone could see how completely enamored these two women were. They had survived Arizona not wanting children, they anchored each other as a mad man rampaged through their hospital, they'd reconciled after Africa, they grew together in the midst of a surprise pregnancy, three lives that were nearly ended in what should've been a fatal crash were here… no trace of the agonies that attempted to mildew their love. 'How?' Callie asked herself… How were they still so happy even after all of that?

But they were. They were so happy, their friends strived to behold a love as big and full as theirs. How was it possible to go from the couple in this picture to two women raising a child on opposite ends of the country? A plane crash…

Callie shook her head; she didn't even want to think about what came after this picture. The sound of a door opening pulled the somber woman from her thoughts. She quickly wiped the traces of tears from her eyes, not wanting her girlfriend to find her like this. Callie peeled the picture from her embrace, replacing it back to its rightful stance beside her daughter's bed.

"Hey, Cal? I'm home." She heard her girlfriend call from the other room. "So, I was thinking…" she continued when the brunette appeared from down the hall. "…we've been in New York for a little over six months now, and we've yet to have a New York slice." The red head finally looked up; she could tell the brunette had been crying. "Oh, sweetie…"

"I… uh… Barbara invited me to join them for Christmas." The words fell untethered, eyes bulging in surprise. She hadn't even thought about the offer, but here were the words abandoning her without any form of greeting.

"Okay…" Something else needed to be said. Penny could tell there was an internal battle raging. "Words, Callie, I need more words."

Slightly jumping back to reality, Callie realized she'd just dropped that and left it there. "Sofia has never had Christmas without me." And again she stopped talking. Green-grey eyes looked on trying to meet the other woman's gaze hoping that maybe she could read expressive eyes to see where this was going. But the brunette completely avoided the contact.

Unprepared for the onslaught of emotions, tanned features battled as flashbacks of previous Christmas' bombarded her conscience. Waking up in the matching elf pajamas her blonde wife tricked her into wearing with promises of naughty nighttime activities. Being awakened by her two impatient girls bugging her to wake up so they could finally open presents. Memories of coming home to the new stockings that Arizona had made to hang from the mantle of their fireplace.

"Barbara, Arizona's mother?"

Arizona… With the way things were going Callie was sure her ex-wife would have a conniption if she knew about the invite offered by her mother, but why? What was going on with the blonde? From the time dark eyes landed on the woman at the airport, she couldn't shake the blonde from her thoughts.

Did she not want to pick up Sofia from their apartment because she didn't want to see Penny? Or was it that Arizona just didn't want to see her? "I'm not really hungry any more. I'm going to just head to bed."

 **XxxxxxxX**

"You should talk to her Zona… she looked really hurt back there when she realized you were there hunny."

After they'd reached the Robbins home earlier in the day, Sofia was un-phased by the short travel. Full of energy, the young girl challenged her mother to some fun in the snow. A few snow angels and a snowball fight later, Arizona had completely exhausted herself. Grandma swooped in just in time enticing her exuberant grand with the duty of helping make the apple pie's and peach cobbler for the big holiday. That evening Sofia was finally pooped so she cuddled up in her mom's lap in front of the fireplace with hot chocolate and _The Santa Clause_ playing on the screen. It didn't take long for the miniature brunette to fall asleep.

Running her hand through her daughter's dark locks, tender fingers lightly massaged her scalp. This always calmed Sofia, helping her fall into a deeper sleep. "I will talk to her… just not right now. I just want to spend time with my daughter." Blue eyes stung looking down at the sleeping form of her little girl. "This is the first time we get to spend more than two days together in six months. Can I… I just want to; I just need this time right now." Looking up her gaze met the elder woman sat on the opposite couch with pleading in her eyes.

Christmas was meant to be about connecting with family, indulging in foods that your diet only allowed around the holidays, singing carols, and passing down family secrets after favoring a little too much nog.

Last Christmas the blonde spent half her holiday trying to keep three babies from making an appearance before time, followed by an evening of sitting on Karev's couch sadly contemplating a sparsely decorated tree. Thinking about it, that tree seemed to be art imitating life.

"After Christmas. I'll make the call the day after. Okay?" It was decided. "She was so happy today, right?" Dimples made a rare soft return just thinking about the happiness that exuded from her little girl today.

"Yeah, she was." Barbara stood up, moving behind her daughter. "She's out pretty good there, you can take this off now." Wrinkled fingers gently helped remove the knitted cap and wig revealing short baby soft blonde curls. Bending down, the elder Robbins lay a soft kiss atop her daughter's head. "Are you sure about keeping all of this from her?"

"She's six, mom… I couldn't… How could I tell her about all of this, and then just send her back to Callie." Arizona bit the inside of her cheek. "What would I even tell her?" Brows furrowed in consideration. "No, she's just a kid. I wouldn't dream of settling her with this weight. She would just worry herself sick." She released a ragged breath. "She calls me everyday. Doesn't want me to be lonely. So, as much as she can, she calls me throughout the day to make sure I'm not too sad."

"Not the her, I was talking about." Settling on the edge of the loveseat, similar blue eyes watched on sympathetically as her granddaughter slept. "But you know that."

"Mom, we talked about this." Arizona was again over this conversation. "I gave her those tickets so she could go be happy. When I tell her what's she going to do? Move here and take care of me? We've been divorced for two years… I'm not her responsibility. After Christmas I'll call her."

"You've been promising to call her for weeks Arizona, she's the mother of your child. She should know."

"You know… I'm tired. The excitement of the day has really taken it out of me." She couldn't take this conversation any longer. She had more than enough weighing on her pretty heavily at the moment. "Can you call dad and ask him to come carry her up for me?"

 **XxxxxxxX**

 **So? What did you think? I hope you liked it… let me know?**

 **xoxo**


	3. Chapter 3

**Can True Love Be Estranged?**

 **Author:** And24Trina

 **Pairing:** Calliope Torres/ Arizona Robbins

 **Rating:** T

 **Summary:** Callie and Arizona shared the love that most believe you can only experience once in a lifetime, stomped on too many times by life. Now they're divorced and living on opposite ends of the country. Can true love really be estranged, or are the two women destined to find their way back to each other?

 **Chapter:** 3/10

 **Disclaimer:** Shonda created them blah, blah, blah… So, this one will be shorter but I'm hoping just as good as The Ride… Really hope you like it.

This one is longer… I just couldn't break it. Really hope you guys like it. Happy reading!

 **XxxxxxxX**

"Dr. Robbins, your test results are back. The lump that you felt is a tumor. I've tested to see if it's cancerous or benign…"

"Just tell me." The words were offered softly, her gaze not able to settle on anything in particular. Was she even still sitting in the same room? It didn't feel like it, everything suddenly felt cold and distant, her sight completely unable to focus.

Offering this diagnosis was never easy, especially not to a colleague. In the back of her mind she wondered why she hadn't gone into obstetrics. Pulling off her glasses, it was impossible to remain disassociated from the young surgeon. Dr. Rebecca Swender stood quickly rounding her desk, she took the seat beside the younger woman. "I studied your pathology report myself. Invasive ductal carcinoma." A pale hand was raised, causing the oncologist to halt in relaying the findings. Worry lines appeared as she monitored the blonde's form… eyes were closed, head bowed with a slight tilt.

Swender knew the blonde was taking a moment to ground herself, trying to wrap her head around what was being said. The doctor learned over time all patients took the news differently. So, sympathetically looking on, the dark woman gave her patient and colleague a moment.

"Arizona, we have options. The tumor is well defined, and we caught it pretty early." A lone tear crawled agonizingly from tightly closed lids. "I'm confident that we can beat this." She spoke fearlessly, making an attempt to infuse hope into this dismal misfortune.

When she felt a supportive hand rest upon her arm, she couldn't take it any longer. Arizona abruptly stood from the cushioned seat. "I, uh… I have to go. I have a patient." She was down the hall hastily moving to get as far away from the suffocating office as possible. Miraculously as if the universe decided the blonde at least deserved one, the elevator was there awaiting her need.

Stepping into the car the reflection of the surrounding metal informed the blonde of the stream of tears revolting from cloudy, red-streaked blue's. Both hand came up wiping profusely, not wanting anyone to find her in this state. The citizens of Grey Sloan had seen her weak and exposed after the plane crash. And that was more than she ever intended to be seen. This would not be an encore performance.

A pale hand held a coup of its own, pulling the emergency stop at just the right time. Taking a step backward she came into contact with the cool metal of her surroundings, sliding down to the floor. The doctor just said she has breast cancer. Breast. Cancer. A cynical laugh cut through the onslaught of tears. That's what the oncologist had said, right? Admittedly her hearing betrayed her for great lapses while she sat in that comfortable chair. Thoughts paused. That chair was really comfortable. It didn't feel like the regular chairs that could be found all around the hospital. They were soft, and inviting almost. Kind of like sitting on the most comfortable cloud ever.

Shaking herself, Arizona wasn't sure why she was so focused on those damn chairs. She was just diagnosed with breast cancer. Palms pressed flatly against the cold linoleum beneath her in attempt to find some kind of grounding. For a while nothing moved except the soft inhale and exhale falling necessarily from her own lips. Unsure of how much time had passed, it took the beeping sound of her phone to break the spell, pulling on her attention.

 **Dr. Robbins come by my office first thing in the morning. We need to prep your testimony. Try to get a good night of sleep, let me do the worrying. That's what you're paying me for.**

She quickly read over the text transcript of the voicemail left by her lawyer. Her lawyer. The lawyer she had to hire because her ex-wife was moving across the country, and she was trying to take their daughter with her. Arizona pulled herself off the floor. She couldn't be falling apart right now, her daughter needed her. All of her energy and fight had to be focused on fighting on the little girl's behalf.

Another beep of her phone. She had a patient that needed her right now.

"Hey!" She shook herself before walking into the patient room. Trying to sound as present as possible, her practiced smile was pulled in place before addressing the young expectant mother. "I hear you're sleeping over tonight."

"Thank God you're back." The worried mother spoke up narrowing in on her daughter's doctor. "She's nicer to me when you're around." The group had quite the rapport stemming from the teen's first visit months earlier when they found out the young girl was soon to become a mother.

Making an attempt at cheer the blonde surgeon laughed lightly. "Surgery went well?" She questioned her protégé before taking the tablet from him as he briefed her.

"Yeah. Russo did a plasma patch."

"Yeah, that's a good call. This baby needs more time." Blue eyes danced over the notes from her colleague. Always excelling at bedside manor, Arizona tucked the tablet under her arm offering the mother-daughter duo her attention. "Okay, listen. I'm sorry that I wasn't here for the surgery, but I'll be checking in later, okay?" Soft eye contact was just the key to settle the bed ridden patient.

The fetal surgeon released a sigh as she followed Karev out of the patient room. "I told you. Kepner and I have Jenny handled." The gruff man was compassionate to the trial that his mentor was going through. He held a soft spot for the woman. When no one else believed in him she was there to kick him into gear, always with the most confidence in who he would become. "She's doing fine. The baby's good. Everyone's stable."

"-Um, where's Russo?" It was becoming difficult to keep a tight leash on her emotion. "I need to look at a post-op ultrasound to make sure the leak is sealed."

"-Should you be here?" Karev scrutinized his boss. "Shouldn't you be at home getting ready for court or something?"

Blonde locks shook with the movement of her head. "No. I shouldn't be here." She didn't want to scold the man, but the building weight on her shoulders was starting to become unbearable. "I should be at home fixing my daughter ice cream and reading her 'Charlotte's Web.' So could you please page Russo so I can look at the ultrasounds and get the hell out of here?" Her voice rose with the impassioned order.

"Okay." It was clear the only way he could really help, would be to get the surgeon what she was looking for.

"Thank you."

…

That night the only thing that mattered was the amount of scoops of ice cream Arizona would split with Sofia before indulging in an all out dance party. The smile on the little cherubic face followed by a full belly laugh at the sight of her blonde mother shimmying while 'Shake it Off' blared from the sound system was the best thing the mother had heard all day. She would make a fool of herself a thousand times over if it got her a repeat of this moment.

Once the little girl finally fell asleep, Arizona couldn't make herself disengage from the embrace the mother and daughter were wrapped in. Usually a stickler for her daughter sleeping in her own bed, this night an exception was granted. Watching the rise and fall of the tiny brunette's chest while she slept, soothed the mother.

Blue eyes slowly studied caramel features. Caressing the small hand grasped within her own, Arizona continued her inspection as if purposely memorizing everything she could about her little girl. Her breath began to catch, the ability to push oxygen through her lungs became increasingly difficult. Not wanting to wake her slumbering little girl, Arizona pulled unflatteringly pulled the sheets from her body making a beeline for the bathroom as quickly as possible on her crutches.

The water being thrown on her face with each swipe of her hand under the faucet wasn't doing anything to resolve the crippling panic. She needed more water… faster. Nearly falling into the shower, Arizona didn't bother removing her clothes before sinking down into the porcelain bathtub. Cold water rushed from the sprayer, soaking the seated woman from head to toe.

Sobs painfully expelled from the broken woman. The doctor actually told her that she has cancer today. She actually said the words… 'Arizona, you have cancer'. And her ex-wife sat six feet away from her in court today while allowing her lawyer to paint her as an over worked slut that would rather go bar hopping than spend time with her daughter. And even with that the only thing screaming in her mind was the words as they fell from Dr. Swender's lips. 'You have cancer. You have cancer. You have cancer.' The words played on a loop in her head as gut wrenching sobs pulled from her entire being.

…..

"Dr. Robbins, you were with Dr. Torres before she was pregnant."

"Yes."

"Were you together when she got pregnant?"

Arizona as well as everyone in the courtroom could see exactly where this line of questioning was going. "No."

Callie's high priced lawyer confidently paced walked with her back to the blonde throwing the next question over her shoulder. "So her pregnancy was not an agreement you entered into together, correct?" She paused her stroll finally counting the blonde worthy of her gaze.

"No."

Smugly, she continued her line of questioning. "It was an agreement she entered into with Dr. Mark Sloan, correct?"

Not thrown, she answered honestly. "They agreed after the fact, but, yes, Mark was Sofia's father." She looked up to address the woman questioning her. "Callie and I were together. We were a couple before the pregnancy and then after Sofia was conceived." She made sure to address the judge who would be determining the fate of this case.

"So, you became part of the parenting plan later, correct?" The questions continued. Arizona's attention was pulled just beyond the pacing lawyer when her phone rang from across the room. "Just to be clear, Dr. Sloan and Dr. Torres were Sofia's parents and then you came around."

Not amused by the belittling of her role in her daughter's life, Arizona chuckled as she answered. "No, I didn't 'come around.' I'm Sofia's mother. I legally adopted her."

With a faux sense of confidence, the lawyer stood with her arms crossed in front of her, shutting her off from the mother as she continued her questioning. "Her last names are Sloan and Torres."

And now Arizona had enough of this attack. "I'm gonna have to stop you before you continue for your own sake." The lawyer was a little taken aback by the vigor coming from the woman on the stand. "You're not going to imply that I'm any less Sofia's mother because we don't share the same DNA."

Her attention was pulled again as her ringing cellphone cried out from its perch. "Dr. Robbins, excuse me." The lawyer became sassy, pleased with being able to see the blonde begin to unravel.

Unrelenting, Arizona had a point to prove as she continued on. "Because that would be offensive. It would be offensive to anyone in the room who has an adopted child or is an adopted child," her phone kept ringing despite her own lawyer repeatedly silencing the device. "and for you to say that -"

"-Dr. Robbins -" The lawyer tried to cut of the woman's rant, without success.

"-I chose to be Sofia's mother!" Her voice rose with passion. "It did not fall into my lap. There was a choice, and I could stay or I could run, and I chose motherhood." She looked up to her ex-wife before attempting to plead her case directly to the judge. "And it was the best choice that I ever made." Pulling a strand of hair from her face, she attempted to calm her breathing not wanting the rising emotion to overflow. And again her phone interrupted the proceedings as it rang out. Sighing, she couldn't ignore the device any longer. "I'm – I'm – I'm so sorry. I'm a doctor, and I-I have to answer my phone, so I'm sorry." She beckoned for her lawyer to send the offending device. She profusely apologized as the bailiff delivered the ringing phone. "I'm – I'm so sorry. Thank you." She was needed back at the hospital. A heavy sigh accompanied a small shake of her head when she read the 911 on her screen from April Kepner.

Callie's lawyer took this opportunity to pounce on the woman unapologetically smug. "Somewhere more important to be?"

Painfully she offered, "Actually, yes."

"Excuse me?" The judge spoke up.

"I'm sorry." Arizona remorsefully met the judge's gaze. "I'm so sorry." Her lip quivered while she took a moment to stall her emotions. "I love my child, and I want her with me, but I know that no matter how this ends," Blue eyes teared as Arizona spoke directly to Callie. "she'll survive. She'll be healthy and safe and well-taken care of and loved. Because… we are her mothers." Wiping a tear from her eye before it could force its way out, Arizona regretfully prepared to leave the stand. "But there's a child at the hospital who will not survive unless I am there, so I have to –I have to, I have to go." She hastily made her exit, not wanting to completely fall apart.

…

Standing up for her patient, saving a baby that wouldn't have had a chance without her; Dr. Robbins could do that. From her first case back when the hospital was still known as Seattle Grace, Arizona was always a bit of a spitfire. Come on, not many people had the gumption to put Dr. Miranda Bailey in her place, while wearing a pair of Heely's no less.

The victory of saving her patient was great. Yesterday. Now she sat outside the courtroom awaiting the judge's ruling. The rarity of the beautiful weather that Seattle was getting to experience was completely lost on the mother, her battle to remain in the space where she was outside a courthouse to find out the outcome of the custody battle barely outweighing the replay of Dr. Swender's words.

A heavy sigh fell from soft pink lips in attempt to center herself. The void in the seat beside her was filled, barely pulling on her attention. A fleeting look toward the new occupant beside her resulted in her gaze returning to the distance, "No matter what the judge decides, I know that you're a good mom, too. And I just want you to know this doesn't change that." Callie spoke as an attempt to soothe the treacherous construction and extreme upheaval that had engulfed the two mother's as of late.

Willfully, Arizona weighed the offered words against reality.

' _Dr. Robbins, you have cancer.'_

' _Just to be clear, Dr. Sloan and Dr. Torres were Sofia's parents and then you came around.'_

' _Dr. Robbins, you have cancer.'_

' _You're not anything, you're nothing.'_

' _Dr. Robbins, you have cancer.'_

'… _92 times Dr. Robbins was unavailable to parent her own child…'_

' _I'm the father, I'm the father… you're not anything, you're nothing.'_

"The things that you let them say about me- I would never have done that to you." Blue eyes couldn't even look at her ex-wife. "Never."

…

Arizona wasn't even sure if she had actually heard the ruling correctly. But now here she was standing outside of Meredith's house with her little girl wrapped around her waist. "Mommy," Blue eyes peered into the chocolate orbs staring back into her heart. "Can we go home now?" Sofia spoke softly.

"Yeah." She moved a strand of dark hair behind the small brunette's ear, a heavy smile in place. "We sure can."

And they did. For the next few weeks the small voice that had repetitiously sang in the back of her mind was finally muted. Arizona was happy. But all wasn't right. Reality couldn't continue being fabricated.

"How was she in there?" The blonde surgeon addressed Bailey who was just coming out of surgery with Callie.

A little caught off guard at the question, the ever knowing chief fished for a response, "Sh—uh, she's fine."

"Bailey, she's not fine." Arizona tilted her head slightly, regarding the shorter woman in search of a real answer. "Sofia keeps asking me why Mom's so sad, and she wouldn't even go to Owen's wedding. I feel like I should do something." She'd worked so hard to shield her daughter from her own inward storm, but she couldn't stop the miniature brunette from still feeling the burden of recent changes.

And as much as Arizona tried not to care, and was thought to be a little crazy by friends… Truthfully, she still cared about her ex wife. Hearing the judge's ruling gave her unmitigated joy… but she couldn't help but to think about how it was affecting her daughter's other mother. Arizona was compassionate, having come so close to being the one on the opposite side of that ruling.

There was a time in the no so distant past when all Arizona wanted to do was make her Calliope happy. The way the brunette would beam gave Arizona all the happy she needed. Remnants of that same desire still remained in the blonde despite the divorce and recent custody battle.

"Robbins, there's nothing you can do. This isn't your business anymore." The same sentiment other friends had tried to get the woman to understand was now also falling from Bailey. "Now, look, she lost her child. The woman she loved moved across the country." Blue eyes looked on defeated. "So, no, she's not okay. The only thing you can do is get okay with it yourself." Bailey walked away leaving the blonde with her thoughts.

"Dr. Robbins." A familiar voice called, causing the fetal surgeon to pivot in its direction.

Contention filled porcelain features. "Dr. Swender." She offered trying to speak through the forming lump in her throat.

"I was hoping to speak with you, if you have a moment?" Wanting to protect her patient from roaming ears, as she looked around noticing the heavy foot traffic. "Do you mind consulting on a patient?" Squinting slightly, Arizona was sure she was aware of what the oncologist was doing. Not wanting to alert any possible suspicions, she followed her colleague.

"Uh, sure. I have a few minutes to spare."

Once the elevator doors shut leaving the two women in solitary. "Arizona, look." The cart came to a halt when the emergency stop button was pressed. "People around here talk… I'm not generally one to partake in schoolgirl gossip. Look, you seem like a very smart person. Top of your class at Hopkins, certified in peds, fetal, and obstetrics… co-owner of the hospital… You don't seem like the kind of woman who gives up a fight that had her coming out as the winner."

Arizona listened intently as tears began to well. "Dr. Swender…"

"You can beat this… you can. But not if you don't fight."

"I'm tired, okay?" Traitorous tears jumped out of their perch. "I survived a plane crash… a freaking plane crash. I had to fight to not give up out there in the woods when there was absolutely no reason to have hope… I fought to keep my leg," she lifted a pant leg. "That failed. I fought for my marriage." She offered the empty finger that used to house her wedding ring. "That failed. I just finished fighting like hell in court for my daughter. Against all odds, somehow I actually won… and you, you tell me that I have cancer." The tears were unforgiving at this point. "I'm tired okay? I'm tired." The words barely survived. "I just wanted some time, just a little bit of time where I wasn't having to fight."

Arizona dropped her head in defeat before leaning against the back of the cool elevator. "You've been through a lot. If I could I would snap my fingers and the cancer would be gone… but unfortunately that's not how it works Dr. Robbins. You know that. One year… Just one year. Give me one year of fight, can you do that?" Dr. Swender sympathetically stood face to face with her patient.

"Okay." Blue eyes closed in attempt to stall the further onslaught of tears. "I just… I need a few days."

"The sooner we get started with treatment, the better."

"I need a few days with my daughter before I send her to her other mother… I couldn't bare for my little girl to see me going through this."

"Okay. One week."

"And not here. I can't do this here."

That night Arizona stood in her ex's doorway with their little girl and a set of airline tickets just out of sight. When Callie opened the door she had no idea that what was going on. Arizona passed over the tickets, giving Callie her blessing to go to New York with their daughter. It was bittersweet, not being the one that could make Callie happy in the way she wanted to. But the happiness she could offer in this act, would have to suffice.

 **XxxxxxxX**

"Hi. I hope it's alright that I'm here." She bit the inside of her cheek. "Barbara said it would be alright if I joined you." Hoping, the nervous brunette was often known for her confidence. But faced with the colonel opening the door upon her unexpected arrival, her poise falter.

Aged blue eyes made a meager attempt to hide his true feelings. "Does Arizona know you're here?"

"No sir." She offered apologetically.

 **XxxxxxxX**

 **So? What did you think? I hope you liked it… let me know?**

AN: So… it's October, which is breast cancer awareness month. Also, my mother is a breast cancer survivor… so this one sits pretty close to home. This Chapter was a little dark, but it gets brighter, I promise. And I am NOT Shonda, so no one dies.

 **xoxo**


	4. Chapter 4

**Can True Love Be Estranged?**

 **Author:** And24Trina

 **Pairing:** Calliope Torres/ Arizona Robbins

 **Rating:** T

 **Summary:** Callie and Arizona shared the love that most believe you can only experience once in a lifetime, stomped on too many times by life. Now they're divorced and living on opposite ends of the country. Can true love really be estranged, or are the two women destined to find their way back to each other?

 **Chapter:** 4/10

 **Disclaimer:** Shonda created them blah, blah, blah… So, this one will be shorter but I'm hoping just as good as The Ride… Really hope you like it.

This one is longer… I just couldn't break it. Really hope you guys like it. Happy reading!

 **XxxxxxxX**

" _Hi. I hope it's alright that I'm here." She bit the inside of her cheek. "Barbara said it would be alright if I joined you." Hoping, the nervous brunette was often known for her confidence. But faced with the colonel opening the door upon her unexpected arrival, her poise falter._

 _Aged blue eyes made a meager attempt to hide his true feelings. "Does Arizona know you're here?"_

" _No sir." She offered apologetically._

…

"Uhm, you know what? This was a mistake; I shouldn't have come." The brunette nervously chewed at the flesh inside her cheek, dark eyes tensely closed for a moment needing a break from the strong piercing gaze from the elder man standing guard. Fingers scratched at her scalp, Callie tried not to trip over herself as she began to backtrack away from the house. "She was just being nice, it wasn't a real invitation" Callie softly spoke in her native language, beating herself up for showing up on the family's doorstep.

Not sure what was being said by his blush tinged ex daughter in law, blue eyes slightly bulged. Before he could gather his bearings, the snow crunched under the tires of the maroon ford focus pulling into the driveway. "Mama!" The car barely came to a halt before the little girl hopped from her safety seat, throwing the door open. "Mama you're here. I didn't know you were coming. Is this a surprise too? You're staying for Christmas?"

The rapid fire questions shot out of the adorable little girl as she jumped into her mother's arms. Callie had to take a steadying step back in order to not be thrown off balance from her little girl's weight. Avoiding the panic that attempted to regurgitate the small meal from earlier in the day, the brunette focused on how incredibly cute her little girl was with her knitted rainbow cap and matching mittens.

"Hey baby girl!" Callie pulled Sofia into her impossibly closer with closed eyes, trying to not allow herself to become too emotional in the embrace. She didn't want to scare her little girl with being overly emotional after randomly appearing during what was supposed to be her holiday break with her other mother. "Oh, you're so toasty." She nuzzled the soft cherubic cheek. "Mama missed you so much."

The husband and wife took the scene in, neither really sure what to do. "Are you staying with us for Christmas mama? Mommy said we can go sledding tomorrow. You can go with us."

Callie tried to not stutter over her lack of response until Barbara came to the rescue. "Ahem, excuse me young lady… are you just going to leave your old grandma to carry these bags?"

"No grandma, I'll help you." Sofia jumped from her mother's arms, bouncing over the freshly shoveled path. "I'm a good helper, right grandma?" Big round eyes tried to peer over the paper grocery back in her arms, not wanting to trip. Especially with the audience of her mother, Sofia wanted to show how well she behaved.

"The best." The grandmother passed her husband the next two bags after encouraging her little grand. "Come on Callie, plenty of bags to go around." Barbara beckoned, breaking Callie from the thoughts running wildly in her head.

She wasn't sure if or how she would be able to leave now. She'd been spotted by her little girl who made sure to ask if she was staying for the holiday. Was she staying for the holiday? This was Arizona's Christmas with their little girl. Would it be fair to intrude on the time between the mother and daughter? Would Arizona even want her here? Callie hadn't seen the blonde yet even as she stepped inside, placing the groceries atop the table.

The faint sound of retching could be heard from somewhere in the home. "Hey, little lady. I have Connect Four all set up, ready for that rematch? I think I'm going to win this time." Daniel scooped up the young girl after she finished undressing from her layers of winter coverings. This man tickling the giggling brunette was a far cry from the stern security guard that had opened the door minutes earlier. It was like a whole different person that held Sofia over his shoulder, the little girl unable to contain her infectious giggles.

Callie couldn't help the smile that spread across olive features at the display. A moment passed before she realized she was left standing alone in the kitchen. Barbara had darted off in the direction of the retching person, opposite the den that just gained two new occupants. Unsure if she should leave or stay, Callie migrated over toward the door that Sofia and Daniel had just crossed over. But her attention was baited at the continued sound of retching before a familiar moan sounded out painfully.

"Come on mama, watch me beat papa." Sofia's beckoning pulled her mother's attention back to the dueling duo. But now she was even more unsure than before. "You can sit with me," a small hand waved the ortho surgeon over.

Callie sat down a bit uncomfortably under the glare of her ex father in law. "This little lady has been taking me to the bank." His stoic features softened as he smiled at the little girl through the holes of the game board. "Are you a professional connect four player? How did you get so good little miss?"

The little girl giggled from her mother's lap, dropping her next piece down the slot. "Mommy taught me how to play. We play on my iPad too. I'm not as good as her yet, but she says that I will be better than her one day." Sofia was pleased with herself, it looked like she was going to win again if her grandfather didn't block her with his next move. When a fresh round of muffled retching sounded from upstairs worry grew in the little girl. "Is mommy still sick papa?"

"Grandma's up there with her, she'll be good in no time." Daniel avoided the bulging brown's trying to make contact in inquiry. "She just needs a little rest today. What do you say to going out with your gram and I tonight? We can go downtown to the 'Festival of Lights,' yeah?"

Not really having any guidance, Callie hung around without any real direction beyond being pulled around by her daughter's lead. She'd been there for a little over an hour and had yet to see Arizona. Thinking about the sound of her ex wife upstairs puking, and her daughter's worry about her other mother _still_ being sick began to worry the brunette. Arizona finally got a chance to have their daughter with her and she was sick.

"Okay. I hear we're getting out to see some lights tonight?" Barbara descended the stairs speaking to her granddaughter. That earned an exuberant 'Yay' coupled with the miniature brunette bouncing gleefully around the room. Callie and Barbara laughed at the antics when Sofia finished her happy dance with her arms thrown up in celebration. "Alright little lady, go ahead and get ready we're shipping out shortly."

"Yes ma'am." Sofia stood up straight, trying to stifle the giggle that threatened to break free. "Mama are you coming too?"

Brows shot up, not having anticipated the question. "Uhm… maybe next time sweetheart. I should pro-"

"Actually Sof, your mama is going to stay here to keep your mommy company." Blue eyes met anguish in chocolate orbs, with softness. "Go ahead munchkin, make sure you put on your long underwear too. It'll be pretty chilly out. If we hurry, we'll have time to pick up some hot chocolate on the way."

At the mention of her favorite warm drink there were no additional words to convince the little girl to speed it up. Before Callie could fix her mouth to question the older mother, a hand was lifted to stop all movement. Barbara peeked up the stairs making sure the coast was clear. "Its time that you two talk. She's upstairs… after we head out she'll be expecting you."

Callie's worry suddenly increased, everything somehow felling very ominous. "Could you maybe try to get her to eat something? We should have everything you'll need to make soup." Barbara continued. "She used to always rave about your soup. Tried to talk me through making it a few weeks ago, it didn't come out right…" The elder woman kept talking, helping the freshly dressed Sofia reign in all of her excitement long enough to slip into her coat and boots.

"You two ready? We have about two minutes to be on the road if we're going to beat the traffic." Daniel called as he held the door for his wife and grand, the two shuffled past him after offering quick goodbye's to the brunette still stood in the middle of the family room.

Everything seemed to be moving faster than Callie could latch onto. It all felt very surreal, as if she was standing outside her body watching everyone moving around her. One second she was stood on the doorstep of her ex wife without any real guidance. The next she was left standing in the family room of her ex-wife's parents, expected to walk upstairs and interact with the woman she hadn't shared more than three sentences with in months.

In the kitchen the spoon was dragged through the pot as the brunette stirred. Her mind jumping erratically as she tried to gather what she would say. Would Arizona even want her around? Maybe she should just leave now and be grateful for the time that she got to see their little girl.

But Arizona had some kind of stomach virus or something... She stood, leaning against the counter in contemplation. If she was to chew the inside of her cheek any more there would surely be a hole worn there. During their time together Callie had become somewhat of an expert on how to make the blonde feel better when she had a cold. Soup… and cuddling… and once the blonde would finally fall asleep, lightly scratching her milky unblemished back. "Callie…" The brunette's head popped up when the raspy voice, significant of a throat left raw from puking, called out from the entryway.

Dark eyes looked up, but were confused at what she was seeing. "Arizona?" Tension filled her stance.

"We… uh, we- should probably talk." Nimble fingers struggled to pull the zipper on her hoodie, wanting to hide away from the interrogating gaze across the room. All of the questions swirling in the ever expressive brown's chased the smaller woman without plump lips ever forming any words. "Let's sit in here." Arizona motioned over her shoulder to the room behind her, finally able to finagle the zipper.

Callie offered no response in words or movement, prompting Arizona to turn in hopes that her ex wife would follow. But when she turned, it was a little too quickly causing a slight dizziness. Her hands landed on the wall, she just needed a second to steady herself. With closed eyes, the blonde waited for the room to stop spinning. Suddenly she was dizzy for a completely different reason. An embrace she hadn't felt in six months, three weeks, and five days had suddenly engulfed her with a supportive arm wrapped around her waist causing her breath to hitch.

"Please don't do that…" Arizona still against the wall, offered a risen hand terminating the assistance. "I… I got it." She gently pressed away from the wall, making her way to the couch. "Sit." The blonde called. "Please."

Callie took a seat on the opposite couch, and waited. Unsure what to say, she continued waiting as she took in the sight of the other woman. It had been six months since really seeing the blonde. Unable to help herself, Callie really studied the blonde. Wrapped in an oversized hoodie, Arizona also pulled the throw blanket from the back of the couch, swaddling herself.

Normally Arizona had a glowing that caused steps to stutter. A personality that added inches to her height. She was perky… bubbly… owned a confidence that other's had to pay a life coach to help them reach. But something here was very, very wrong… and it wasn't the stomach flu. Arizona had lost at least thirty pounds. Vibrant blues were overshadowed by a cloudiness. Flowing blonde locks that had entrapped stroking fingers so many times was now replaced with curly fuzz. "Arizona… what's going on?"

"I have cancer."

 **XxxxxxxX**

 **So? What did you think? I hope you liked it… let me know?**

AN: So… I'm late, I know… Had an impromptu getaway, and the wifi has been playing hide and seek. But I'm good now. Next update will be Friday.

 **xoxo**


	5. Chapter 5

**Can True Love Be Estranged?**

 **Author:** And24Trina

 **Pairing:** Calliope Torres/ Arizona Robbins

 **Rating:** T

 **Summary:** Callie and Arizona shared the love that most believe you can only experience once in a lifetime, stomped on too many times by life. Now they're divorced and living on opposite ends of the country. Can true love really be estranged, or are the two women destined to find their way back to each other?

 **Chapter:** 5/10

 **Disclaimer:** Shonda created them blah, blah, blah… So, this one will be shorter but I'm hoping just as good as The Ride… Really hope you like it.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you to everyone that has read, liked, re-blogged, left comments, and shown any kind of support.

 **XxxxxxxX**

" _Arizona… what's going on?"_

" _I have cancer."_

…

Unexpected. Confused. Unsure. The utterance of a six letter word that she herself had spoken to numerous patients, felt like she'd just slipped over the edge of a cliff. A gasp left painted lips in shock as the repetitive echo of the uttered words reverberated in pulsating eardrums. Wrinkles blemished perfection, a paleness swiftly desecrated the glow of olive. "No…" The word was so small it was nearly overshadowed by the piercing silence surrounding them. A small shake of her head wasn't enough to clear the category four hurricane winds attempting to consume her.

"I'm in treatment." Arizona pushed to continue. "Swender said we caught it pretty early." Blue eyes moved from the spot on the fourth finger of her right hand where her left had unconsciously been rubbing.

The nausea in the pit of her stomach informed the brunette that this wasn't just some bad dream. In need of an anchor, probing fingers slowly crept in search of the heart-shaped pendant that once rested atop her breastbone, finding nothing beyond the memory of what was. "Arizona…"

Not able to bare the obvious constriction of the sound of her name, she spoke up again. "Sofia doesn't know anything. I wouldn't do that to her." She wasn't sure why, but she felt the need to prove that she had the best intentions concerning their daughter.

"Arizona…" Sweaty palms attempted to rid the unwanted moisture by running them over jean clad thighs.

"I only have three treatments left before starting radiation. But it won't effect our visitation schedule." She rushed the words, taking in the sight of her darkening nail beds; a side effect of the chemotherapy.

"Arizona." The name spoken a little louder finally pulled the blonde's attention. Blue eyes lifted from lifting the invisible lint from her hoodie. Words were useless as their gazes confronted each other. Nothing could be said that would effectively convey the weighted emotion. Callie wanted to say something, but what?

…

' _You're gonna touch doorknobs and then you'll be the outbreak monkey.'_

…

' _I have a cure for a headache that doesn't involve coffee.'_

…

' _Shut up. Just shut up. You don't get to tell me that we're not together. We are together. Because I love you and you love me, and none of the rest of it matters. We are together. And if you ever sleep with anyone else again, man or woman, I will kick the crap out of you. Now sit your ass back down there because that's my baby in there. I don't want anything happening to my baby.'_

…

' _I take you, Calliope Torres to be my wife.'_

' _I choose you to be the one whom I spend my life.'_

' _I love you.'_

' _I love you.'_

' _You have to give me a chance to process this, ok? I'm processing.'_

… _._

' _How did it go today?'_

' _I fell.'_

' _What happened?'_

' _I got back up.'_

…

' _I'm starting to feel like I know who I am again and I've had to give up things, but what I've learned is I don't need much. I don't need much to be happy. I don't even need two legs, but I do know that I need you. I need Sophia and I need you. And I'm afraid now that I've learned all of that that you might give up on me.'_

…

' _Hi! What's going on?'_

' _Ahem… plane tickets… bring her back next weekend, and I want all summer and every other school year. I want Christmas this time, but you can get next time and we'll figure out the rest of the details.'_

' _What? Are you say-'_

' _Listen, we did this wrong. We had a chance to do it right and… we missed it.'_

' _Are you saying that-'_

' _I'm saying that Sofia deserves to have two happy moms. I'm saying… lets all be happy.'_

' _Thank you.'_

…

A sheen of moisture in mocha pushed the blonde to jump in. It was nearly impossible to maintain her own emotions… if Callie cried there was no way she would be able to hold her own tears at bay any longer. "So, mom told me that she invited you for Christmas. Sofia, is going to be super excited." Arizona couldn't bare the silence any longer. Her gaze disengaging from the imploring browns seated across from her. There was a tenderness being offered that the blonde hadn't felt in so long. For a moment the two women were transported back to a time where gazes held love and affection. But that just wasn't possible. Callie had moved on. She was in a loving relationship with someone else. "Oh, is Penny here as well? She doesn't have to stay cooped up in the hotel. I'm sure my mom has a feast planned big enough to feed a whole football team."

"No… uh, no, she didn't come." Now the brunette was puzzled. "Arizona, you have cancer." She didn't need to tell her. The words were said out loud, causing a grit to form on her tongue. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I was going to… but that's not something that you just shoot off in a text." Shoulders shrugged in an attempt at carelessness. "Besides, you don't have to be weighed down by all my stuff. We're divorced." The truth of the statement caused a fresh pang of hurt that Arizona hoped Callie couldn't see. "I'm good Callie… I am. I know this," she motioned over her appearance. "is kind of contradicting my words right now. Today is just a bad day… Some soup and rest… I'll be as good as new tomorrow."

"Is there anything I can do?" Callie leaned forward ready to offer anything that was asked.

"No." A gentle smile was passed to her ex wife, waving the brunette off. "You've already given me everything with the extra time with Sofia." Her smile grew impossibly bigger, a faint indentation of dimples making an appearance. "We're going to catch a Bruins game in a couple days."

"So, Swender? She's pretty good." Callie didn't want Arizona to feel like she was digging in her personal business. After all, like Arizona had reminded… they were divorced. "I haven't heard about her since Izzie. She's still good right?"

"Yeah. She's good. But, she's not my doctor…." Arizona knew she didn't owe Callie any information. "If I was going to beat this, I couldn't do it in Seattle. There was nothing left there for me…" a fresh wave of guilt arose in the brunette at those words. "Swender referred me to a colleague at the Brigham."

A coughing fit wracked the blonde's slender frame. Arizona pushed Callie away when she jumped in to assist, not able to just stand by at the evident pain in her ex wife. "I'm sorry Arizona, I'm so sorry." The tears dark eyes were straining to hold back, sprang forth. Quick fingers wiped at the treasonous tears, hoping to dispel them before the blonde could see them. But the emotion in the breaking of her voice betrayed the effort.

"Don't." She croaked, trying to clear the flem from her throat. "It's not like you gave me cancer… This has nothing to do with you, Callie. This is about me… this is inside me." Needing a little space from the sting of the words, Callie stood before walking out of the room. She knew this didn't have anything to do with her… except it did. This woman that was once the owner of her heart, her affection, her love… is sick with one of the most unforgiving diseases there is. The mother of her daughter.

Re-entering the room, a cup was offered to the wheezing woman. "Drink this, please." Arizona gave in, sipping through the straw. "I know this doesn't have anything to do with me… But I do care Arizona. You're Sofia's other mother." She offered the bowl of steamy soup, hoping it would help.

"You really believe that?" Arizona scoffed at the statement, rolling cloudy blues. "It didn't seem that way when you sat back while your lawyer encouraged the opposite."

Dark eyes closed at the memory. Callie's stomach revolted against her, suddenly leaving her sick from her own actions. "Arizona… I know you're her mother. You are Sofia's mother… and I'm sorry okay? I'm so sorry for everything. I should've handled that entire situation better… differently."

The return of the rest of the family was noticed at the sound of the car pulling into the garage. "I need to go back upstairs. Sofia hasn't seen me like this… without hair." Arizona's head dropped, setting the bowl on the coffee table. "Can you… do you mind taking care of bedtime? Once I fix myself up I'll come in." All Callie could do was sit back, watching the slow, painful pace as Arizona attempted to retreat back upstairs.

Her heart broke, and there was nothing she could do about it. She knew Arizona didn't want her help… and quite frankly would be offended at the offer. "Mama! Mama! You're still here." A bubbly Sofia pushed out of her snow boots, happy to see her brunette mother still around.

"Yeah baby, I'm here." Callie engulfed her little girl when she jumped on her lap. "How about we get you a bath and you can tell me and mommy all about the festival?"

"Is mommy feeling better? Grandma said your soup would help her feel all better." The two brunette's set off for bath time, having fun with the bubbles as they goofed around.

"Much better, she'll be in after bath time. She can't wait to hear all about the lights too."

…

Behind her own closed door Arizona took a moment to just… breathe. She had to reinforce her effort of holding back her emotions. She couldn't give in to the heavy emotions begging for her to just let go. If she did… if she fell apart now, she wouldn't be able to pull it all back together. Not before she was due to help finish bedtime where she knew her little girl was eager to so animatedly share the adventures of her night out with her grandparents.

Stepping up to the mirror the tender pads of pale digits felt at the skin beneath her eyes… skin that was tight just a few months ago… skin that held a glow before the poisonous chemo was released to fight on her behalf. A single tear unpatriotically liberated itself, dissolving along it's journey.

"Okay… you can get through this. You," she looked directly at herself in the mirror. "you are strong. You are strong!" She added a little gumption to her declaration. "You are going to beat this. Just because you have cancer, doesn't mean that cancer has you." Blue eyes gained a stronger determination with each statement. "You survived a plane crash… a plane crash! Cancer sure as hell isn't going to defeat you." A sentimental smile tried to appear. "You are going to overcome this. You are going to win!"

Picking up the make-up from the counter, she began to apply it, adding back some of her vibrancy. With a light layer of make up applied, next she pulled the blonde wig on. Running fingers through the synthetic curls to pull them into subjection. With one more look at herself, an exhausted breath was expelled as she picked up her mastectomy bra.

This part she hated most. The surgeon that did her the service of cutting of her breast's committed a serviceable act. He removed the part of her body that was making her sick. The cause of all of this. And they did a really great job. She tried to convince herself that the extra care shown to her, had nothing to do with being a fellow doctor… a healer of tiny humans. The incision really was beautiful… It healed well… no edema… But the bra was still uncomfortable, and the boobs felt completely unrealistic. It chaffed, even with the cream.

More often than not, Arizona opted out of wearing it. But with her little girl around, she was sure the growing girl would be aware of this major change to her body. Slipping her arms into the straps, she took a moment before snapping it closed. Pulling her tank over her body, and a cashmere sweater blue eyes were finally accepting of her own appearance.

…

When the little girl was out of the tub Callie took her time helping her lotion before slipping into pajamas and brushing through dark locks. She wanted to give Arizona as much time as she needed. Once Sofia was all zipped into her _Descendant's_ fleece pajamas, the little girl settled into bed under a fluffy comforter while Callie took a seat beside the bed. "So… tell me, how amazing were the lights?"

"I didn't miss it, did I?" Arizona poked her head through the door. Smiling at her little girl.

"Nope, you're just in time." Callie beckoned the woman into the room.

"You can lay with me mommy." Sofia pulled her blanket back, offering her blonde mother a space in the bed bedside her. "Are you feeling all better?"

"I am baby girl. Mama's soup was just what I needed." Arizona slipped under the cover, cuddling with her little girl. "Alright, I need to know, how awesome were the lights?"

The two mothers excitedly listened as Sofia regaled the amazing displays of lights at the festival. After her replay, the young brunette offered her mama her newest book, _A Christmas Carol_ , wanting her to read until she fell asleep. With such an eventful day, the brunette mother had barely made it through one chapter when she noticed matching soft snores coming from the bed.

Both Sofia and Arizona had succumbed to their exhaustion, wrapped around each other. Folding back the page as a marker, Callie settled the book on the small dresser beside the bed. Dark eyes bounced around the layout of the room. It was so similar to the way the little girl's room was set up at their old house. The walls were decorated, toys and books were available… there were no signs that this was a guest room… Arizona was originally scheduled to only have their daughter for a few days, but still she went through great lengths to make sure Sofia could feel right at home.

Looking back at the sight of her daughter and ex wife asleep. Sofia looked like she didn't have a care in the world, simply content to be cuddled together with her mother. But for Arizona there was something different… Even asleep, Callie could see it. For Arizona, this moment was like a lifeline helping her get through the storm.

Content to just sit back and watch, Callie settled into the rocking chair a little deeper pulling the blanket from the back of the chair to cover herself. Her heart ached for her ex wife. She couldn't help but wonder what kind of support system she had while going through this. Did she have anyone besides her parents? There was no doubt the Brigham was one of the premier hospitals there was. But were they taking good care of the blonde, Callie wondered.

Tears sprung forth afresh… Arizona didn't deserve this. Nobody deserved this, really. But of all people, Arizona? Why had the universe done this to her? Hadn't she been through enough? A gunman in their hospital, a plane crash, the loss of a leg, a miscarriage, a divorce… and a custody battle. Thinking back the mother couldn't help the feeling of disgrace in the role that she played.

It was a no brainer why the blonde had made the decision to flee Seattle, seeking treatment elsewhere. After the fight in court it was obvious Arizona felt like she didn't really have much real support from their friends and colleagues. Not the support you need when you're going head to head with something as ruthless as cancer. Not to mention the advantage of only being a four-hour train ride away from their daughter.

Callie knew things between herself and Arizona couldn't continue in the trend that it had been over the past few months. And with Arizona opening up to her, she hoped the feeling was mutual. Looking at the sleeping woman, she questioned how she had allowed them to drift so far apart.

Arizona didn't even realize she'd fallen asleep until a discomforting pain presented itself, she needed to take off her leg. Opening her eyes, she was met with the unexpected presence of her ex wife. "Callie…" Sleep was interlaced with her tone. "I didn't realize I fell asleep." She gently sat up, not wanting to jostle her little girl awake. "How long was I out?"

Not wanting to seem like a creeper, the thought of being dishonest crossed her mind. But with one look at a clock she would be found out. "A few hours…" She bit the side of her bottom lip in consternation as she answered.

"A few hours…" Eyes squinted in thought. "You're still here." The statement was more of a question of, why?

"Yeah…"

"It's late, you should just stay. This bed is plenty big for the both of you." Arizona offered as she stood from the bed. "Sofia will be happy to see you first thing in the morning."

"I don't want to impose. My hotel isn't that far, I can go."

"No, no… it's probably ten degrees out there right now. Stay…"

"If you're sure?"

"You can borrow some pajamas if you want… not like I can really fit into most of them these days." Arizona waved for the other woman to follow her lead as she stepped into the hallway. Her own bedroom was directly across the hall. Self consciousness refilled the blonde knowing her ex wife was barely a step behind. "Here, these should work."

A familiar set that she used to borrow way back when was presented to her. Rubbing a hand across the fabric, she was filled with the memories. "Thank you."

"There's a bathroom through there." She pointed toward the ensuite bathroom for the brunette to use.

In the bathroom, Callie changed into the borrowed clothes. But she couldn't help but notice the amount of prescription meds taking over the counter. She didn't have the right to snoop, but they were right there.

A few minutes passed before the brunette emerged, changed into the sleep shorts and shirt. Arizona had taken the time to change as well, freeing herself from her prosthetic leg and bra. Dressed in sweats that were just a little too big. A scarf was wrapped around her head in the stead of the wig. Arizona sat on the side of her bed, ridding her face of the make up, feeling a dip in the bed beside her. "I wish you would've told me sooner. You don't have to go through this alone Arizona… I could've been there for you."

"I'm not alone." Arizona didn't bother turning to face the woman sat beside her. "I have my parents… and I joined a support group. Callie, I'm fine." She could hear the brunette wanting to continue on, so she continued to cut her off. "After Christmas I need you to leave. Go back to New York, and I'll bring Sofia back as planned. I didn't tell you because I want you to be here." She finally looked over. "In case I don't get through this… I just… I thought you should know."

 **XxxxxxxX**

 **So? What did you think? I hope you liked it… let me know?**

 **xoxo**


	6. Chapter 6

**Can True Love Be Estranged?**

 **Author:** And24Trina

 **Pairing:** Calliope Torres/ Arizona Robbins

 **Rating:** T

 **Summary:** Callie and Arizona shared the love that most believe you can only experience once in a lifetime, stomped on too many times by life. Now they're divorced and living on opposite ends of the country. Can true love really be estranged, or are the two women destined to find their way back to each other?

 **Chapter:** 6/10

 **Disclaimer:** Shonda created them blah, blah, blah… So, this one will be shorter but I'm hoping just as good as The Ride… Really hope you like it.

Thank you for all of the support for my story, and my mother. I swear, I can recall every second of my mother telling me that she had cancer… Gotta say, I don't wish that moment on anyone, ever.

 **XxxxxxxX**

" _I'm not alone." Arizona didn't bother turning to face the woman sat beside her. "I have my parents… and I joined a support group. Callie, I'm fine." She could hear the brunette wanting to continue on, so she continued to cut her off. "After Christmas I need you to leave. Go back to New York, and I'll bring Sofia back as planned. I didn't tell you because I want you to be here." She finally looked over. "In case I don't get through this… I just… I thought you should know."_

...

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

"What?"

"You called me Cal… you've been listening to me ramble for almost an hour. I'm sure my kid winning the spelling bee isn't the riveting conversation you called for."

A soft, barely there smile etched itself in olive features. Even through the iPad screen it was clear to see that the smile didn't reach expressive eyes. "I- -what? Of course I love hearing about Henry.''

"Oh, come on Cal. You haven't heard a thing I've said in the last ten minutes."

"Henry won the spelling bee. Spelled a really big word."

"Okay, so you were listening. How about we talk about why you're in a hotel?" The read head pulled the glasses from her face, placing a tip in her mouth she questioned her long time friend. The brunette's head jumped up, looking around at her surroundings with her bottom lip pulled between perfect teeth. "I thought you got into the Strathmore?"

"I did…" The ortho surgeon contemplated for a moment, until the penetrating gaze of green eyes and raised brows from her friend made her give in. "I just- -I just need some space right now." She hoped Addison was satisfied, and would just leave things be. She didn't phone her friend to talk about what was going on with herself, she just needed something to distract her from well… herself.

Green eyes squinted in thought, not able to hold in her thoughts. "From your girlfriend that you followed across the country to be with?" The brunette's response only extended as far as a bashful look. "Okay… well where's my niece?"

"In Boston with Arizona."

"How is that all going?" Doe eyes held a curiousness, urging for further defining of the question. "The whole parenting from two different states?" Addison was starting to sense there was something to the dumbfoundedness of her friend.

"Arizona's been great." The red head surgeon was a little surprised by the positive praise falling from the brunette. "Sofia's staying with her for a few more day's and Arizona will bring her back for school. I actually spent Christmas with them in Boston." Over the past few months if they ever touched the topic of the blonde, Callie was always a little miffed at the 'invisible woman' persona she was living. Callie had talked to her friend about the way her ex wife would swoop in and out of town without a sighting. How their communication had fizzled out to texts with single word responses if the conversation was to stray outside of very defined lines concerning the welfare of their child.

But all of a sudden Callie was spending Christmas in Boston with her ex's family, and was staying in a hotel because she ' _just need's some space right now.'_ Now the fetal surgeon was sure there was something going on. "Talk to me Torres. Be honest with me, what's going on with you two?"

With the shake of her head the brunette tried to will away the sting of tears. Running a frustrated hand through dark locks there was an evident burden weighing on the woman. Opting to give the brunette a moment to gather her thoughts, Addison waited patiently. "She's sick Ads…"

"Well you moved the kid to the other side of the country Cal… East coast winters are awful. What is it, the flu?" Addison shuffled through a few papers on her desk as she continued to speak. "Arizona's a peds surgeon Callie, I'm sure she can manage."

"Not Sof…" Defeat laced the brunette's tone. "Arizona. She uh, she has cancer."

A pale hand covered her forehead, fingers spread wiping at the sudden appearance of stress lines. "Oh no..." Green eyes closed for a second as she took in the words before returning to the screen. With one look at the computer she wished she could climb through the screen. Settled on the plush loveseat on the opposite end of the country, long legs were pulled up into her chest, arms wrapped securely around herself. "Cal, I'm sorry." And she really was. The way her friend was curled into herself, Addison wished somehow she would've been able to console the brunette.

Closing her own eyes, raven locks swayed with the shake of her head. Callie tried to will away the vibrating pain in her chest. Resting her head on her knees, she turned her face to look out the window. The brunette couldn't bare the sympathy being offered. It wasn't her sympathy to receive. It wasn't her body that was revolting against itself. She wasn't the one that had to sit down and really be faced with her own mortality.

No, she was the one that separated mother from daughter. There was no worry over her health. She had everything… well more than she thought she'd ever have again. She lived in an upscale apartment in New York City… the _concrete jungle where dreams are made of_ , very cliché, the lyrics remained at the ready every since the brunette had crossed the state line… Crossed the state line with her daughter, to join her girlfriend that had won the Preminger grant. Colleagues at her new hospital hung on her every move; she was the hottest thing since sliced bread.

But one visit to her ex wife and everything that was supposed to be in the plus column suddenly became insignificant. Instead of the happy that was offered through the medium of plane tickets there was an emptiness spanning uncharted depths. Arizona had been battling cancer. CANCER. And had only told her because she showed up unannounced after not being able to bare Christmas without their little girl.

What would've happened if she didn't just show up on the Robbins' doorstep? Would Arizona have even told her? They were exes, so really the blonde had no obligation to offer her personal life to the brunette. It was Callie that had sentenced their marriage to death after all. There they were in their therapist office; Arizona had poured out her heart. Offering realizations of a revived love. She'd reached a clarity… a knowing. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with the brunette. She would spend the rest of her life with her wife.

But out of nowhere that had all been shattered. Visions of future celebrations of wedding anniversaries dissolved. Plans to wake up early just to wake up her wife with morning sex became dreams that were completed by tears and disappointment when cold sheets were the only bedmate to be found. Callie ended their marriage and moved on.

Arizona didn't owe Callie anything. Except they had a daughter together. Arizona should've told Callie sooner because they share a daughter. Fury built in the brunette with that thought. Callie had a right to know what was going on in the blonde's personal life. She shouldn't have to keep tabs via published medical journals. Not that she was keeping tabs… no, Callie just happened to stumble upon all of the journals that offered an article written by the double-board certified surgeon. Callie absolutely wasn't keeping tabs. She shouldn't have to anyways… because… because they… because they shared a daughter.

Deep down, Callie knew that was a weak argument. But she didn't much care at the moment. Maybe unrightfully so, Callie was upset. She deserved to know. She deserved the chance to be there with the blonde while chemo coursed through her veins. Callie deserved… nothing. She didn't deserve a damn thing. Arizona didn't owe her anything, but had given her… what she thought was everything.

"What do you need?" Addison had sat patiently watching her friend battle through all the fog. Finally speaking up she pulled the brunette back into the present.

"What if…" crimson trails blazed through dark orbs, tears threatening to make a run for the border. Words failed. Full lips bobbed… voice unwilling to participate, refusing to offer the words. "What if…" The words wouldn't come. "Addison." The tears won, they broke the barrier.

"Oh sweetie."

Sobs tormented the brunette. "Every one I love either leaves, or dies… I can't do this without her Addison." Expressive brown's pierced the screen. "She has to be okay, she has to." The words painfully climbed out barely puncturing the atmosphere.

"Have you talked to Pen-"

Hands wiped furiously at the tears, leaving blotches to testify for them. "She wouldn't understand. She has her grant to focus on." Callie cut in.

"Callie…"

"She's good Addison… she's so good. We've been so happy." Trying to offer more strength in her voice than was really there, Callie felt the need to explain. "This grant means so much… it's so important to her."

"What do you need?"

"I need her to live."

 **XxxxxxxX**

"I can take her… It's a quick train ride there and back. I won't even be gone a day." Arizona argued back.

"You have treatment in the morning Ari." The man hoped that was explanation enough. His daughter was an adult… and adult with a child of her own. She didn't need him bossing her around. But she did need him to still parent her. "I can take her. I've been around, ya know. Besides Sofia can show her old grand pop around her new school."

"Dad, I can do it. I'm not going to let her down." The blonde woman pushed away the mug that had been sat in front of her. "I haven't missed a trip yet… Sofia depends on me to be there." Both hand wiped at cloudy blue's. Arizona was becoming frustrated. This disease was taking something else from her. Hadn't it taken enough?

She was scheduled to take her daughter back home; school was set to resume on that Wednesday. But Arizona had her scheduled chemo session the day before. This appointment had been set before she knew Callie was going to give her the extra days with their daughter. Back when she determined that she would fight this, Arizona and Swender made a treatment schedule. Every three weeks the blonde was entered into treatment. The only stipulation was that her treatment had to be in the beginning of the week. She wouldn't sacrifice spending the little bit of time with her daughter that she had. She just wouldn't.

But Callie gave her a few more days. She didn't know that Arizona was sick. Callie thought she was forwarding her ex wife a kindness. The blonde had set her free to go live her 'happy' and Callie felt indebted. But the gift was also a little too good. Arizona had always been the one to pick up and return her daughter home. They had a little see ya later routine, because it wasn't 'goodbye' it was never goodbye. Goodbye was permanent, and Arizona wanted Sofia to know that she would always be there.

"Come on Bug, it's just this one time." Daniel pulled his chair closer to his daughter, a supportive hand found her shoulder. "Sofia knows you'll always be there for her."

"But I don't know that!" Arizona couldn't get her head to lift, the stream of tears weighing her down at the whispered words. "What if I'm not always there? What if I don't come out of this?"

 **XxxxxxxX**

 **So? What did you think? I hope you liked it… let me know?**

 **AN:** Fear not loves… I am still continuing **'The Ride'** I promise. Sometimes we writers just get way too in our own heads, and have to take a second. I've just finished mapping out the next chapter, so hopefully I'll have that up in the next few days.

 **xoxo**


	7. Chapter 7

**Can True Love Be Estranged?**

 **Author:** And24Trina

 **Pairing:** Calliope Torres/ Arizona Robbins

 **Rating:** T

 **Summary:** Callie and Arizona shared the love that most believe you can only experience once in a lifetime, stomped on too many times by life. Now they're divorced and living on opposite ends of the country. Can true love really be estranged, or are the two women destined to find their way back to each other?

 **Chapter:** 7/10

 **Disclaimer:** Shonda created them blah, blah, blah… So, this one will be shorter but I'm hoping just as good as The Ride… Really hope you like it.

Thank you for all of the support for my story, and my mother. I swear, I can recall every second of my mother telling me that she had cancer… Gotta say, I don't wish that moment on anyone, ever.

 **XxxxxxxX**

" _But I don't know that!" Arizona couldn't get her head to lift, the stream of tears weighing her down at the whispered words. "What if I'm not always there? What if I don't come out of this?"_

…

"So you didn't get this information from me, okay?

"Uhm… okay…"

"She has an appointment for her next round of chemo on the third. She's been seeing, Dr. Allison Trata took her on as a favor to Herman." Addison paused in contemplation for a moment. "Cal how much did Arizona tell you about her diagnosis?"

Obvious concern was laced in the question, causing her unease to rise. "She said they found it pretty early. Why?"

Wanting to be straight with her friend, Addison decided to give Callie what she knew. "Trata is a specialist…"

Not really following what was being said… Callie waited for the fetal surgeon to finish, sure there was more.

"Arizona was diagnosed with two different cancers Cal… Swender initially found the breast cancer, then they also found it in her blood… During her surgery they had to remove twenty-one lymph nodes."

"But…" All of the training, hours of lectures, years of learning… it all slipped away in seconds. It all meant nothing right now, as hard as her mind was working still she couldn't recall what any of this meant. Scratching through dark locks, Callie just wasn't comprehending.

"Mass Gen labeled her palliative…"

She knew that word… It wasn't one that she had to offer very much. But she'd stood amongst a team that had come to this conclusion for patients. No doctor ever added that word to a patient's chart lightly. Because that word… it wasn't a diagnosis, it was a sentencing. It meant there was nothing to be offered beyond comfort care.

"No…" realization hit the brunette extracting the oxygen from her grasp. Where did all of the air in the room go?

"Cal…" no response. "Callie." The faintness of what sounded like hyperventilating. "Breathe Callie. Breathe…" Addison coached through the receiver, willing the chants to be effective. "Breathe."

Maybe Addison was mistaken. Arizona said they'd detected it early… said everything would be okay.

Wiping the tears that had appeared unnoticed, Callie sat back down on the bed pulling the phone back up to her ear. "That can't be right Addy… Arizona said they found it early."

"Oh sweetie, I'm sorry." It was clear Callie was taking this all harder than she anticipated. The red head thought for a moment what it meant that Callie was so turned around by what was going on with her ex wife. But she didn't have time to dwell on it because her friend wasn't at all ready to think about what she was really feeling. "Swender originally sent her to a colleague at Mass. after the original diagnosis. After more tests they found the second cancer."

Leaning forward, the sound of a familiar voice strained to penetrate through the fog. Callie was never the fainting type. She was strong… sturdy, level headed. But right now, all of that was failing her. Addison's news caught her off guard.

An indeterminate amount of time passed before her breathing could finally be regulated. "Trata got her in as a trial patient…. She's been responding to the treatment better than expected." Addison desperately hoped that would offer some bit of comfort to the brunette.

"She's supposed to bring Sof back." It just dawned on Callie.

"Okay… maybe you two can sit down and talk then?"

Long fingers caressed at her temple, willing away the built up tension. "She won't be able to travel like that Addy. She's supposed to bring Sof on Tuesday night and take her to school Wednesday." Immediately Callie's mind went into overdrive for a solution. There was no way she would sit back and have Arizona traveling having just undergone a harsh chemotherapy treatment. "But she's so freaking stubborn. She'll have convinced herself that she's letting Sofia down if she's not the one to bring her." Callie thought out loud releasing an exhausted 'pft' remembering how head strong and hard on herself Arizona's type A personality often left her.

"Cal?"

"Yeah?"

"You still love her don't you?"

Pulling the phone away from her ear as if it had just been burned, dark eyes studied the device in her hand. What had she just been asked? "What?" Love? She was with Penny now. Just because she was concerned about Arizona that didn't mean she loved her. Well not like that.

"Callie come on…"

"She's the mother of my daughter Addy." Flustered by the absurdity and just utter off-handedness of the question, Callie stuttered over her words. "Sofia already lost one parent, and… and… she and Arizona- -they get so little time now all because of me… do I care what happens to my kid's other mother? Of course I care." Eyes closed, the brunette thought for a moment. After a moment of pause, her voice held less panic… a mix of remorse and nostalgia had inoculated her tone. "We were married. We were supposed to spend the rest of our lives together…"

"Hey, hasn't New England been trying to get you to come take a look at their robotics lab?"

 **XxxxxxxX**

"Ready sweet pea?"

"No." Arizona sat on the edge of her bed with her head hung low. Barbara had left, taking Sofia with her for a day of bonding. They would do a little shopping at the local mall before their appointment at the new kids' spa. When Arizona heard about 'Pamper Me Pink' the new spa that caters to children, she couldn't wait to make an appointment for her little girl.

She wanted to be the one experiencing this with her daughter… but that wasn't a possibility this go. Needing a distraction for her little girl during her appointment, Arizona sent Sofia off for a special outing with grandma.

"Anything I can do?" Daniel stood in the doorway taking in the sagging shoulders of his daughter.

Blue eyes looked up at the concern etched in pale features. "No… I'm okay." Pulling on her cashmere sweater, Arizona stood to leave. "Callie's in town." Daniel barely heard the words vibrating into his chest after he wrapped his daughter up in a comforting hug. They should be on the way to the hospital right now… but his daughter was in need of a hug. And a little bit, so was he.

"Oh sweet pea." Strong arms held tight to his only remaining child, savoring the moment. It was bitter sweet, thinking of his only surviving child having to battle so hard. He could easily remember the day she was born. Back then the men were just starting to be allowed in the delivery room. Daniel quickly realized that not even the birth of his son had prepared him for the six bound bundle of blonde curls that would come screaming out that day. All of a sudden this stoic man had morphed into a pliable mound of putty.

Way back when she was still growing inside her mother's stomach Arizona was already a daddy's girl. Barbara could barely sleep from the dancing fetus growing inside her. It would take the soothing baritone offering lullabies or censored tales of his adventures to calm their active little girl.

Growing up young Arizona idolized her father. The sun and the moon was set with him in her world. Whenever Daniel was on tour, his daughter would struggle without his presence. Somehow between serving his country and serving his family, the man had found a delicate balance that most of his colleague's families dreamed of.

Whenever he was able to be home, Daniel was present in the best ways possible. He was there to encourage first steps, and bandage scrapped knees. When Arizona came out to her father she was afraid of how he would react because she had always been the apple of his eye. Even throughout her teenage shenanigans, there didn't seem to be anything Arizona could do that would really disappoint her old man. But suddenly his daughter was telling her father that believed in country like most believe in God, that she was gay.

Before she could muster the courage to come out to her parents, Arizona packed a bag; prepared to get kicked in the ass by the door on her way out. It turned out all that packing had been for naught. All Daniel cared about was his daughter being the person he raised her to be. He didn't care that she would find love with a woman instead of a man…

Here in this embrace he was reminded of the nights when his little girl would tip toe into her parent's bedroom after a bad dream, wanting her dad to come scare away the monsters hiding under the bed. A sadness embraced the father. His little girl was facing a monster that he couldn't scare away. "You're the strongest person I know… you know that kiddo?" He pressed a kiss to his daughter's temple.

"I love you dad." Arizona gripped at the cotton shirt as if she could borrow some of his strength that she'd relied on him for so many times. Taking a few breaths, the blonde readied herself for her appointment.

"Okay, kid. Let's do this, yeah?"

"Yeah." She pulled away. "We should get going… that snow doesn't seem to have any plans of letting up."

The two headed off for the hospital. "So Callie?"

With her head pressed against the cool windshield, blue eyes watched the flurry of snow. "She text this morning… Said she's here for a presentation of her work that she's been doing with robotic limbs."

"Robotic limbs, huh? Sounds pretty fancy."

"It's all pretty amazing really." A hand ran unwittingly over her thigh, just above the prosthetic. "The work Callie has done is pretty phenomenal. She's always been a genius." A look of adoration spreading across pale features wasn't missed by the father. "She's helped so many people already. Hospitals all over have been wanting to get her."

"Will she have time to come by the house?"

"Since she's here Sof is going to travel back with her. I told her she could come by around dinner time."

"We're here."

…

"Mommy look! Grandma helped me pick the colors." Sofia carefully jumped on the couch flaunting her winter wonderland inspired freshly painted nails. The excited glow of her girl nearly wiped away the thought of her own day's activities. "It's a snowflake, see?"

"I see it love, they look so awesome" Arizona gushed over her baby girl. "How cool was that place?" The effects of the chemo hadn't started to kick in just yet, and before they did the blonde mother was determined to spend as much time being happy with her daughter as she could.

Pulling the younger brunette into her lap, Arizona held on tight while Sofia replayed the excitement of her day. There wasn't much that was better than this moment right now. It almost felt like they had traveled back in time to when Callie had come home with the Frozen DVD. Cuddled up on the couch they must've watch that movie three times back to back. Sofia and Arizona had fallen in love with all of the songs, belting them out at every chance, eventually getting Callie to join in.

Life had changed so much since that night. Now there were only two dips in the couch instead of three… Callie had a new life with her new love, and Arizona… Arizona was here. After today she wouldn't even have her little girl running around the house to brighten her up. Listening to the belly full laugh of the young girl in her lap, the blonde could almost hear her ex wife.

Despite the pull of unhappiness around her, this moment, this time tickling and laughing with her daughter… Arizona felt like she hadn't lost anything at all. "Mommy, can we watch Frozen?"

"Only if we get some hot chocolate to go with the movie."

"Yay!" Sofia jumped off the couch, propelled by an explosion of excitement. When she landed safely on the floor, Sofia stiffened, a little bit she expected her mother to scold her for jumping off the furniture. "Oops, sorry mommy."

The blonde couldn't help but to laugh at her little girl. It was something special seeing her little girl so happy. "Guess what little miss… mama will be here soon." The exuberant smile in olive features quickly faded leaving Arizona a bit confused. "What's wrong baby? Why the long face?"

"I have to leave already?" The mother could barely hear what was saidafter Sofia's head dropped.

"Oh, come here love." Arizona the sad little girl to lift her chin, pulling her back onto her lap. "School is starting back, baby girl. You don't want to miss school do you? You love school." A shaking head seemed to be the only response Sofia was willing to offer. "Hey… come on… we still have tonight, and all of tomorrow, okay?" A nod. "We're going to have hot chocolate, and watch Frozen… and we're going to sing as loud as you want. Yeah?"

"Okay."

When the doorbell sounded, Arizona hoped she would have a little help putting a smile back on her daughter's face. "Want to get the door? I bet that's mama."

"Hey mama…" Callie was a little caught off guard at the retreating somber form her her mini me. I mean, she wasn't looking for Sofia to be bouncing off the walls with excitement. But at least a smile would've been nice.

Pulling her carry on case inside, Callie followed behind the miniature brunette. "Everything okay?" A perfect brow accompanied the inquiry seeing their daughter hop up on the opposite couch.

Arizona wasn't happy to see her baby girl have to leave either. She could understand what Sofia was feeling right now. "We're going to watch Frozen." The blonde tried to bring back the happy that had just been there a few minutes prior. Right now she was able to put on a brave face… but by tomorrow night Arizona knew no matter how badly she wanted to, she just wouldn't be able to keep the the ruse that everything was alright with her.

Blue eyes conveyed all that was going through her head, Callie was able to understand. "With hot chocolate, I hope?"

"Oh we wouldn't be doing it right without it, now would we?" A genuine smile appeared in pale features. "There's a box of swiss miss in the pantry if you want to get started on that. Maybe Sof can help?"

Both mothers looked over to the still gloomy little girl hoping she would perk up at the offer of helping. "What do you say little miss? Can you help me with the hot chocolate?"

"Okay, I guess."

"Just one change… swiss miss?" Caramel features made a disgusted face, shaking her head. "That won't work. I saw a store not too far back. If we're really going to do this right, we're going to need the good stuff." Finally, Sofia began to perk up. "We should make this quick… that snow is unrelenting." Callie helped Sofia into her coat and boots, pulling on her hat and gloves before they rushed out the door. "We'll be right back."

…

"Your dad said Callie's staying over?" Barbara came in, settling herself on the couch beside Arizona wrapping an arm around her daughter's smaller form.

"Yeah… I'm hoping it helps when it's time for Sofia to go back with her tomorrow." Arizona turned into her mother's embrace, pulling the blanket up a bit. "We're going to do a movie night while I still have it in me."

Barbara pressed a soft kiss to her daughter's forehead. "Well, tonight seems as good a night as any for your dad and I to take the Parker's up on their dinner invite then."

"You guys don't have to leave; you can join in on movie night. Besides, I hear the weather is only getting worse out there."

"Oh no, sweetie. You're not putting us out. Mary has been trying to get us over for weeks." Barbara waved off the concern. "And I think you've been getting spoiled by those so called west coast 'winters'" The elder woman offered with a sarcastic chuckle. "We won't be out too late. Have fun tonight, yeah?"

…

Turns out, a movie night was just what Arizona was needing. It was the perfect culmination to the holiday with her daughter. When Callie and Sofia had returned from the store Arizona offered the idea of getting settled in pajamas before the movie so they could be comfortable.

Hot chocolate, Frozen, big comfy blankets… they had everything they needed. By the middle of the movie, Sofia's exhaustion had won out but the mother's were so caught up they had barely noticed the sleeping form stretched across their laps. An outsider would've thought it was like any other family night, both mother's beside each other cuddled under the blanket. "I can carry her up, she's completely zonked." Callie was suddenly alerted to their position. They had been so comfortable, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"She had a pretty exciting day." Arizona ran her hand through long dark locks before Callie picked up their sleeping girl. Callie turned on the small music box beside the bed after getting their daughter settled under her covers, a soft voice alerted the brunette to her ex wife's presence in the doorway. "We at least did this part right, yeah?"

"It's amazing isn't it? We did so many things so completely, horribly, wrong. But somehow we did this so right." Callie moved to stand beside her ex. "We're not messing that all up now, are we?" Biting the inside of her cheek, the brunette contemplated recent choices.

"You're an amazing mother Callie… Sofia's always going to be perfect." Blue eyes met the deep expressive brown's.

"You are too, you know." Callie stepped up, with her hands on the slender arms of her ex, running them up and down fleece covered arms. Both women stood, unable to move away from this moment. The blonde's signature scent of cherry blossom intoxicated the brunette.

Clearing her throat, Arizona couldn't stand here any longer. "I should… uhm…" She motioned over her shoulder, taking a step back. "I should get to bed." Breaking the eye contact, she looked to the watch on her wrist. "Hmmm, it's late. I wonder where my parents are." The concern gave Arizona something else to focus on.

"Have they called?" Callie grew concerned for the missing parents as well.

Arizona's phone was left in her room during movie night. Picking up the device, she noticed a missed call and a voicemail from her mother. 'Hey sweetie… seems you were right to be concerned. The weather actually got us. Roads are closed for the night, so Mary and Jack are putting us up for the night. Take it easy, okay… we'll be home as soon as we can. Try not to push you-' Running out of time, the beep cut off the rest of the message.

"Good news… they're safe." The blonde had to laugh at the 'I told you so' moment. "The roads are closed because of the snow. They're with the Parker's for the night."

Callie breathed a sigh of relief. "Well they're safe, so that's good."

"Yeah." Arizona sat down on her bed. She was starting to feel the day. "I should probably…" Pulling at the duvet, she started to readjust the pillows.

"Oh, yeah… yeah. I'm sorry." Callie felt silly. "I'll leave you to it." She started to back out of the room, closing the door. But not before noticing the blonde relieve herself of her wig. For a moment she'd actually forgot. Everything had felt so good, like old times, she had actually forgot. Softly dropping her head onto the the closed door, Callie ran a hand over the wood.

…

Taking a moment to get her bearing's, Callie remembered she was in her daughter's room at Arizona's parents house. Something had pulled her from her sleep. There it was again… She heard a whimper. Checking on her little girl asleep next to her, the brunette was confused. She was sure she'd just heard a whimper, but Sofia was fast asleep. There it was again…

Standing from the bed, Callie knew that sound. Moving across the hall, she knocked softly before opening the door to the blonde's bedroom. The covers were on the floor, and the bed was empty. Another whimper directed the brunette to the ensuite bathroom. "Arizona?" Peaking inside, the blonde was on the floor, sat beside the toilet.

"Callie…" Arizona sniffled, unable to hide the tears any longer.

"Oh sweetie…" Rushing over to the sink she quickly watered a small towel, kneeling beside the flushed woman she gently ran to towel over the blonde's features. For a moment the two women just sat… Arizona hoping that her stomach would settle enough to go back to bed.

"I didn't mean to wake you." Arizona turned to take in the woman sat beside her. Picking up the pale hand from the floor, Callie pulled it into her own lap. "You don't have to stay… this'll pass soon, I'm sure."

"Stop trying to get rid of me." Callie moved closer, motioning Arizona to lay her head on her shoulder.

A few minutes passed before Arizona felt like she could make it back to bed. "Can you help me to bed?"

"Of course sweetie."

"I'm a little slow these days… My bones ache…" A side effect of the chemo. Wrapping a supportive arm around the blonde's slender waist, Callie's heart dropped. She hadn't realized how much weight Arizona had lost until feeling the smaller waist in her hand.

"Were you laying on the floor?" Callie wondered why the blankets were strewn across the floor.

"Sometimes the bed is too soft… besides, it's cooler on the floor." Callie helped Arizona climb back into the bed. Picking up the covers from the floor, the brunette spread them over the bed before heading off to the bathroom. Returning with a glass of water, Callie sat it on the dresser beside the bed.

Contemplating for a moment… Callie wasn't ready to leave the blonde just yet. "Arizona…" Blue eyes looked up in inquiry. "How are you? Really?"

"Some days are better than others." She answered honestly. Taking in the sight of her ex, Arizona could tell Callie was worried about her. "Here, sit." The blonde moved over, making room in the bed. "How was your presentation?"

Callie knew Arizona was just trying to change the subject from focusing on herself. But she understood. Sitting in the offered space, the brunette sat back against the headboard. "It was…" She had to chuckle lightly. "I really hate public speaking. I'm sure they thought I was some kind of imposter, posing as Dr. Torres." A shiver ran through her body at the soft laugh from the blonde beside her. "I swear, it was like that time, do you remember?"

"Do I remember? I don't think anyone could ever forget." Arizona laughed harder than she had in a while at the memory. "I'm sure today wasn't that bad. Did you do the pee dance?"

"The pee dance… No, I think I left that part out this time." Face planting into her hand, the ortho surgeon tried to hide the soft blush of embarrassment. "I can't believe that happened."

"You pulled it together though… and I'm sure you blew them away today Dr. Torres." Arizona yawned, laying her head on the brunette's shoulder. "Tell me about that fancy new lab they've given you at New York-Pres"

The two women sat in bed talking about everything, and nothing at all. Neither woman realized how much time had passed. Before they knew it, Arizona was fast asleep. At some point they had shifted to the blonde laying atop the brunette's chest.

Lips pressed softly to small blonde curls. "Oh sweetie…" Callie knew she should get up, but she just couldn't bring herself to move.

 **XxxxxxxX**

 **So? What did you think? I hope you liked it… let me know? I appreciate all comments and shares.**

 **xoxo**


	8. Chapter 8

**Can True Love Be Estranged?**

 **Author:** And24Trina

 **Pairing:** Calliope Torres/ Arizona Robbins

 **Rating:** T

 **Summary:** Callie and Arizona shared the love that most believe you can only experience once in a lifetime, stomped on too many times by life. Now they're divorced and living on opposite ends of the country. Can true love really be estranged, or are the two women destined to find their way back to each other?

 **Chapter:** 8/10

 **Disclaimer:** Shonda created them blah, blah, blah… So, this one will be shorter but I'm hoping just as good as The Ride… Really hope you like it.

**Figured we could use some fluff and stuff…

 **XxxxxxxX**

 _Lips pressed softly to small blonde curls. "Oh sweetie…" Callie knew she should get up, but she just couldn't bring herself to move._

…

A small double beep sounded over soft snores. Trying not to move too much, Callie picked up her phone from the bedside dresser. Not knowing what she would be walking into when she would find Arizona, the brunette had a last second thought to grab her cell just in case she would need to call for help.

Adjusting to the brightness of the screen in the dimly lit room, dark eyes scanned over the 'new message' alert. A quick press of her thumb, and the device was unlocked.

 **I'm sorry to bother you so late Callie. The weather has us stranded, I'm not sure if Arizona told you. But would you mind checking in on her? –Barb**

Not really sure how to respond, fingers stutter stepped. Did she tell her ex mother in law that Arizona was asleep on her chest? Did she replay how she'd found the blonde on the bathroom floor?

The unexpected vibrating of an incoming call almost caused the phone to slip from the brunette's hand. Recovering quickly, Callie answered before the tune could wake the slumbering woman. "Hello?" The ortho surgeon whispered in a sleepy rasp, hoping the elder woman wouldn't be able to tell her current position.

"I'm sorry to wake you dear." The elder woman felt bad for pulling the ortho surgeon from her sleep. "Its Barbara." Apparently three a.m. meant Callie couldn't recognize the woman's voice.

"It's no problem… I was just reading your text."

"Oh okay, you did get it. I wasn't sure."

"Ye- -yes ma'am, it came through." Callie had to bite her lip to hide her amusement. She was always amazed at how older people are so baffled by the way a cell phone works.

"Honey, I don't mean to be an inconvenience… I'm sure you've had a long day. Just… would you mind looking in on Arizona for me?" The unease was clearly evident in the mother's voice even through the phone. "She uh… she had treatment today." The elder woman struggled to share that. It wasn't that Arizona was trying to keep her treatment a secret; the blonde surgeon had battled back after the plane crash. But she'd done a lot wrong during the journey… When Arizona decided to fight back this time, she swore she would do better… be better. She didn't expect anyone else's world to revolve around what she was going through; especially her ex-wife. There was no requirement or expectation of support during her battle. One thing Arizona had absolutely determined? She would be strong. "It's usually pretty harsh on her the first few days. We have popsicles in the freezer, they help pretty well with the nausea."

"Would it help if I made some more soup? She said it helped before."

"Oh, that would be great dear. You should be able to find you way around the kitchen." Barbara breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you Callie. I'm just so relieved Zona isn't there alone." From the moment she realized they were stranded, the mother had been worrying herself sick. A moment of silence befell the two women before Barbara cut back in. "She'll downplay how she's really feeling."

The words were spoken softly, with an obvious hesitance. "Hmm?"

"Arizona doesn't want anyone fussing over her; she'll downplay her pain and discomfort... She won't acknowledge it, but I've figured it out. Usually I try to act like I'm having a heat flash so I can get her to take in a popsicle with me."

"We'll take good care of her Barbara. I know saying don't worry doesn't offer much. But we're here, and I keep you updated on everything."

"Thank you so much Callie." The red numbers of a digital clock across the room reminded the elder woman that it was the middle of the night. "Oh dear, I'm keeping you awake. Get back to sleep. We'll check in, in the morning. Hopefully the roads will have cleared by then."

"Okay. Get some rest Barbara." Movement from the woman pressed against her front pushed the brunette to hurriedly end the call. First tensing, the brunette then relaxed when the smaller woman snuggled deeper into the embrace. Dark eyes scanned fair features, concerned when they contorted in pain.

The brunette brushed lightly against the covered back hoping the gentle touch would somehow help. It was clear Arizona was feeling some kind of pain in her sleep. But it wasn't enough to pull her from her hibernation, so Callie decided not to wake her. The wrinkles that appeared as the blonde winced slowly started to dissipate, soft snores resurfaced. Suddenly the storm outside made itself known as strong winds whipped against the windows. Callie couldn't help but to think what would've happened if she hadn't come. Arizona could've possibly been home alone with their daughter, battling the side effects of the chemo treatment.

Tightening her grip around the slender waist, Arizona was pulled flush against her ex. The mixed berry scent of the shorter woman's body wash invaded Callie's nose and mind, causing a swarm of memories.

" _Oh you should've seen his face." The two women lay in bed, Callie wrapped around Arizona with her head hoisted up on one arm, front pressed into the blonde's back, their hands firmly clasped together. "He was just over there all by himself. He doesn't have Lexie anymore." The raven haired woman released a deep breath. "It just makes me think…"_

 _When the rest of the thought was left hanging in the air, blue eyes danced in alarm. "What?" Facing the opposite window, panic began to build in the blonde. "What, that you wanna be with Mark? Th-th- -that you want to go straight?" Abruptly turning to look over her shoulder to regard her lover, Arizona decided if Callie was about to break up with her, she was going to have to do it to her face. "What, and you tell me this on Valentine's day because that's just-" her voice grew in panic and volume as the words rushed out until she was cut off._

 _Unamused, Callie finished her thoughts. "It makes me think how glad I am that I'm not single anymore."_

" _Oh." A beaming smile erupted in plush features as she fully turned onto her back._

 _Callie hovered over the shorter woman. "How lucky I am to have found you." She smiled at the woman beneath her. Her heart jumped, taking in the unmasked version of her lover. No make-up, bed hair, just waking up… Callie loved it. Arizona's beauty was so effortless. Unable to hold back Callie leaned forward, pressing a kiss to soft lips._

" _So I'm the crazy one in this relationship?"_

" _Hmm, just today." Twirling strands of blonde between her fingers, dark eyes locked in on the soft blues that captivated her heart. "Tomorrow, I'll be crazy."_

 _A giggle fell from plush lips. "Thank you."_

 _Adroit fingers played against Arizona's jaw, pulling the blonde in for a kiss. Lips melted together dancing languidly, both women poured their love and devotion into the embrace… neither wanting it to end. When the need for oxygen overpowered them, Callie pulled back slightly before pressing a series of small pecks to full lips._

A tear ran away from dark eyes at the memory. Without realizing it, Callie fell asleep with a protective arm wrapped firmly around the slim waist. The exes lay cuddled together under the luxurious comforter; a peace settled between them that hadn't been available recently. No one would know the way life had victimized these two women by looking at them in this moment.

…

A thumping on her bladder pushed the ortho surgeon closer and closer to the brink of consciousness, forcing dark eyes to open. She had been so comfortable, she ignored the sensation as long as possible. If Callie was honest with herself, she couldn't remember the last time sleep had been so fulfilling. It took a moment for her surroundings to come into focus. Forgetting where she was, the brunette looked down toward the weight of the body on her chest. Expecting to find strands of red, a lump formed in her throat when she remembered.

The pressing need to find a bathroom quickly absolved at the comfortable feel of the woman in her arms. A small voice in the back of her head tried to tell her that she shouldn't be here. This wasn't her bed, and Arizona was no longer her wife. But she couldn't find a reason to listen to that voice. Her heart fluttered at the feel of the woman pressed against her.

" _You still lover her don't you?"_ Addison's question echoed in her mind causing the brunette to jump slightly. Pulling herself together quickly, Callie carefully climbed out of the bed mindful not to wake Arizona.

Across the hall, the dark haired mother took a quick peek at their little girl who was still sound asleep. Arizona always teased her that Sofia got her love of sleep from her. That little girl could sleep through anything. Which Callie was very grateful for in this moment, knowing their daughter hadn't wakened during the night to find her two mothers asleep in bed together. That would've been too much trying to explain.

Making her way into the bathroom, the brunette finally relieved her bladder. Washing her hands, dark eyes looked up in the mirror taking in the sight of herself. Studying the reflection in front of herself, a deep breath tumbled from full lips. "What are you doing?" She questioned herself out loud. "You were married… of- -of course there still some residual feelings there. Yeah, that's what it is. It's just comfortable… that's all." Talking to herself, Callie looked deep into her own dark eyes. Even she wasn't convinced of her words. "What the hell are you going to do?"

…

"Good morning… Sofia and I thought this was the perfect weather for oatmeal." Callie heard the blonde shuffle into the kitchen a few hours later. "There's plenty if you want some. Little miss" Callie tilted her head in the direction of the other room towards their daughter. "wanted to help… she got a little happy with the oats." She offered as reason for the full pot of steamy oats.

A soft smile accompanied her giggle at the thought of Sofia helping pour the oats. "Oh yeah, Sofia is very generous with her helpings." Making her way over to the table, Arizona took a seat. "I think you two are right. This is the perfect weather for a bowl or oatmeal."

Pulling out a bowl, Callie dropped a spoonful of meal into the dish topped with cooked apples and a pinch of cinnamon. Before passing the bowl to the waiting woman, Callie quickly remembered an Arizona must. An extra spoon of sugar was added on top. "I think I remembered correctly." She sat the bowl in front of the blonde.

Stirring the mix together, the smell overwhelmed the blonde's senses. Arizona's mouth began to water in anticipation of a taste. As she brought the spoon up to her mouth, Callie stood against the counter on pins and needles. "Mmm" A moan of pleasure informed the brunette that she'd done it. "This… I don't remember the last time I had oatmeal this good." Eyes closed as another spoonful was appreciated. Unfortunately, she couldn't finish the whole bowl's worth, despite the strong desire to do so. If for no other reason than to let Callie know that she appreciated what she had done.

"Okay…" Callie had picked up her phone when she'd heard the notification for a new email. Looking over her shoulder, blue eyes inquired about the look on consternation, thinning brows forming a perfect arch. "The airport is shut down because of the storm." Callie offered without looking up. Navigating the search engine on her phone, maybe she and Sofia could a last minute train or bus ticket. A ticker on the website informed the surgeon that all modes of travel were shut down due to the expectation of another two to three feet of snow throughout the day.

"I should probably check on my parents." Arizona stood, taking a peek out the window. Boston weather was in rare form, guessing she would say visibility was less than a foot. Turning to go retrieve her phone, the ailing woman was suddenly light headed. Grasping onto the counter behind her, Arizona hoped to steady herself.

Deep chocolate eyes looked up from her phone just in time. A big part of her wanted to run to Arizona's rescue, but she wasn't sure the blonde would be accepting of it. Concern filled the brunette as she watched the rise and fall of deep breaths meant to help regulate balance. Callie lightened her stance, prepared to jump into action if needed.

When blue eyes finally reopened there was no surprise at the worry pouring from the other woman. "I just- -I turned a little too quickly." Biting her bottom lip, Arizona felt silly. "Could you…" She motioned toward the seat she had occupied moments ago.

Stepping up, Callie wrapped a supportive arm around the shrinking waist allowing the blonde to lean into her as they made the short journey back over to the table. "Here. Sit. Take your time. Sof won't mind running up for your phone."

"Thank you." Arizona settled back into the seat. "You don't have to worry Sof, just give me a minute… I'll be good. I just need a sec."

Arizona was trying hard to not need help, but Callie could see how fatigued she was after just a small breakfast. "So, Sofia feels slighted about movie night." The dark haired mother tried to be a distraction. "Apparently we weren't supposed to finish the movie because she fell asleep. We owe her the rest of the movie."

Lips were pulled into a gentle smile. "Is that so?" She could imagine the little girl making that argument with her signature pout and big puppy dog eyes ensuring things went in her favor. "Where is Sof?"

"FaceTime with Zola in the other room, comparing gifts. So far Meredith one upped us with a new big girl bike without training wheels." Dark eyes bulged with mimicked excitement.

"Are we bad moms for keeping them on so long?" Arizona scrunched her face as she asked. Sofia had been asking for the small wheels to come off. But having pediatric and ortho surgeons for moms meant irrational fear that no training wheels meant definite falls and broken bones.

Dropping her jaw open, Callie scoffed at the question. "We are not bad moms for making sure our kid doesn't break into a million pieces. That's what happens when your moms are the best in their fields. If something was to happen would you really trust someone else to fix her?" The signature risen Torres brow questioned the blonde. "Which reminds me." Callie fixed the blonde with a hard stare. "Heely's Arizona?"

A smile tried to appear, blue eyes grew, lips were sucked in, in an attempt to hide the guilt. "Hmm?"

"Oh, don't 'hmm' me. I saw them in the closet." A small tilt of her head to the side, and straight face, Arizona knew she was busted.

"Okay, but she only wears them in the house. And I taught her all my best moves." Arizona tried her adorable smirk hoping to soften the brunette. When her ex-wife broke, full lips pulling into a smile with the small shake of her head the blonde knew she'd won.

"I'm going to run up and grab my sweater, can you check in on Sof? By the end of that call we may have a whole new Christmas list." Both women giggled at how true that thought was. Sofia and Zola were more like sisters than the mothers were prepared for. The two girls wanted to have all the same things. More times than the mothers could count the girls would coordinate their outfits over FaceTime, animatedly keeping each other abreast of what was going on in their day to day. "Do you want anything while I'm up there?"

"Just my phone." Feeling slightly refreshed, Arizona stood to go find her daughter. Before Callie made it to the stairs she heard Arizona call out again. "Oh, and the pink hoodie that's hanging behind my door please?"

…

The weather had effectively shut down the city leaving Barbara and Daniel snowed in across town, no idea of when the plow truck would be able to clear the streets enough for local travel. After Sofia's call, Arizona and Sofia celebrated their extended vacation with as much of a happy dance as the blonde could muster up strength for.

Callie made it back down the stairs in time to catch the two dancing around. As much as she wanted to join in, something held her back. Standing just outside the room, the brunette watched on as her daughter and her blonde mother cheerfully danced to a makeshift chant of 'Naa, Naa, Naa, Naa, Naa, Naa'. She wasn't sure where the tune had come from, but it was catchy.

The happiness pouring from the other room was palpable, easily the happiest Sofia had been in months. A fresh wave of sentiment hit the brunette that she hadn't been prepared for. Holding her hand over her heart, Callie clutched the jacket the scent of her ex-wife assaulting her in all the feels. "Okay little miss, how about a game of candy land before we try the movie again?"

She wanted to dance around with her baby girl all day, but her body just couldn't keep up. Arizona needed to sit and catch her breath. "Mommy, can we play Hedbanz? Mama's here so she can play with us too."

"What's this I hear about a game of Hedbanz?" Callie stepped into the room passing over the phone and the hoodie, providing Arizona a chance to take a much needed break. "Your mommy is going to check on your grandparents. Why don't we get the game set up while she calls?"

"Okay mama." Sofia jumped up onto the ortho surgeon's back when she lowered herself enough for her mini me to climb up. "Are grandma and grandpa coming home soon? I want to see them before I have to leave."

Across the room she pulled the boxed game from its perch on the shelf. "They'll be home as soon as they can sweet pea. So, how does this game work?" Callie eyed the Disney character themed box.

"You have to guess the character, mama." Sofia happily opened the box pulling out the character cards to give her mama an example. Lowering her voice, the young girl cupped a hand around a caramel ear. "Mommy is really good. She knows everything." Callie was amused at the whispered words.

She wasn't sure if Sofia was trying to help, or psych her out. Squinting, big dark eyes scrutinized her mini me in attempt to figure her motive. A quick glance was made toward the other mother still on the phone before Sofia offered the rest of her advice. "If you stand here," she slyly pointed at a spot near the fireplace. "you can see your card in the picture." Looking up, sure enough there was a picture that just so happened to have perfect placement.

"Remind me to up your allowance kiddo." Dark brows danced before the taller woman lifted her daughter over her shoulder, tickling the girl's sides.

"Okay, love you too." Arizona hung up the call with her parents to find zealous laughter as response to the onslaught of tickles being delivered. Sitting back, Arizona took a moment to just enjoy her daughter's laughter. That moment was like medicine to her soul.

Every bit of darkness lost its potency as the gregarious laughter reverberated through the space. The nausea became a distant thought, pain dissipated, feelings of fatigue wasted away. This moment right here. This. It made all the bad bearable. This was why she was fighting. And this especially was why she was determined to never give up. Missing a moment like this was a fate worse than cancer.

Arizona didn't realize she'd zoned out, until small lips pressed a wet kiss to her cool cheek pulling her back in. "I love you mommy." Arms wrapped around her neck as the words vibrated against her skin.

It took everything not to full on bawl at the embrace. Arizona didn't want to scare Sofia. But she couldn't contain the few tears that revolted before they could be caught.

"Why are you crying mommy? Did I make you sad?"

"Oh no baby," she wiped at the moisture. "these are happy tears. You could never make me sad sweetie. I love you sooo much."

"All the way to the moon, right?

"All the way to the moon, and back. More than all the stars in the sky, and the sand in the sea." Touching the tips of their noses, they playfully rubbed them together. "You are my reason" the blonde whispered, pressing a series of small pecks all over her little girl's face. "Ready to get your butt kicked Calliope?" Arizona looked across the room to her ex-wife.

Had Arizona just called her by her full name? There was always something about the way her name fell from those soft lips. It had been too long. Callie tried to hide the moisture in her eyes, but Arizona had seen it. "Oh no, little miss Disney… I picked up a character or two along the way. The deck isn't as stacked as you think." The taller brunette walked over, placing the pink headband atop the blonde wig, careful to not to disturb the synthetic blonde tresses. Of their own accord adroit fingers tucked stray strands behind the fair ear, cloudy blue eyes penetrated deep cocoa, the gaze lasting longer than was meant to be between exes. "Ahem." Callie cleared her throat. "Did your parents say when they'd be home?" She tried to break the gaze. But she just couldn't pull away.

Lost in deep expressive eyes, lips struggled to form words. She knew she should look away. One of them should. Callie wasn't. So it had to be her… But she couldn't. Or she didn't want to? There was a familiar flutter in her stomach. This one though, had nothing to do the chemo. This felt like that moment back in the dirty bathroom at Joe's, right after that first kiss. Arizona forced her eyes to close. "Plows won't make it to that side of town until late tonight, early morning. Dad gets another night of poker, and mom gets another day of baking… they're on cloud nine." Trying to laugh away the moment, Arizona pulled their daughter into her lap. "I think you're trying to stall. Not ready to lose?"

"Ha!" A full belly laugh erupted from the brunette. "Okay… what do you say we make this a little more interesting?"

"Betting on a kid's game Calliope?" The blonde squinted at the taller woman. "Bring it on. So, what's on the line."

"To be determined."

"Hmm…" Arizona was skeptical. But it was all in good fun. "You're up to something."

"Me? Never."

"Scared?"

"Daughter of a marine, here." She pointed to herself. "You don't scare me Dr. Torres."

With that, the little family began the battle. Arizona really was _that_ good, she was wiping the floor with Callie. She even knew the name of the candlestick from Beauty and The Beast. Not willing to lose, the brunette decided it was time to heed Sofia's advice.

Coming back from behind, Callie did her happy dance when the victory went to her. Sofia was the perfect companion, and Arizona didn't need to know she may have had a little help. "Can we finish _Frozen_ now?" Sofia helped gather the cards back into the box.

"Yeah, let's do that."

"Oh, not so fast there Robbins… you lost." The brunette pointed at the shorter woman. "Hmm… what should my prize be?" Dark eyes teased closing slightly as she weighed her options. "I think… hmm, I don't know. I'll get back to you." Her shoulder's bounced from laughter. "Maybe we should whip up a quick lunch before the movie?"

"Pizza!" Sofia jumped up excitedly. "Pizza, pizza, pizza, pizza… please? Pretty please?"

"Pizza sounds amazing, actually." The two mothers giggled at the display of the miniature brunette. "Unfortunately, we won't be able to get a delivery because of the storm. How about we have a popsicle while we think of something? A birdy told me there's some in the freezer."

Big brown eyes bulged hysterically. "Popsicles…" Sofia's voice dropped an octave. "Can I have one, please, please, please?"

"You and mama go ahead. I'm going to get the movie set up." Arizona softly patted her daughter's bottom, sending her on the way toward the kitchen.

Taking in the blonde's posture, Callie knew Arizona's fatigue had returned. "Think your mom will mind me pillaging through her kitchen? I'll keep her busy for a while so you can take a break." Bending down, full lips pressed a light kiss to the blonde's temple.

Callie paused just inside the kitchen before she realized what had just happened. She'd kissed Arizona. Well, kind of… It was just a small peck to her forehead, so it didn't really count. Right? Back in the other room, Arizona was frozen in place. Fingers lightly touched the tingling spot where full lips had just been. Had that really happened? Did Callie just kiss her? Well, kind of kiss her? It was just on her temple… so it wasn't a real kiss. Right?

Seconds later, Sofia took her focus when she delivered a lemon flavored popsicle to her blonde mother. "Grandma said this one is your favorite. I opened it for you."

…

By the time Callie put the finishing touches to their small lunch, Arizona was stretched out fast asleep. "Mommy's sleeping." Sofia whisper-yelled to her dark haired mother.

"Arizona? Are you up for eating?" Callie crouched down beside the couch. Too exhausted to open her eyes, the blonde offered a headshake as she snuggled deeper into the plush cushions.

Stepping up beside the slumbering woman, Callie pulled a blanket over the sleeping form. The prone position was a testament to how tired the blonde really was. "Sof, can you pass me that pillow?" Gently, she slipped the pillow into place. Warm finger tips found themselves trailing a path over a porcelain jaw, dark eyes lingered on the peaceful form.

"Is mommy going to miss the movie?"

"I have an idea. How about we finish eating, and then we try our hands at making a snowman?" With the prospect of getting to play in the snow, Sofia didn't need any convincing to finish her meal. Callie hoped to keep the little girl busy for as long as possible, allowing Arizona to get as much rest as possible. With the latest round of treatment having been so recent, the ortho surgeon knew her ex-wife could only hamper down how much the side effects were affecting her for but so long.

By the time the two made it back inside, they were nearly frozen into human icicles. Teeth chattered, cheeks and noses were a fierce shade of rosy pink, dark locks were unattractively matted down from being stuffed into thick wool hats. "Mama, I think we should have hot chocolate. It's cold."

"Let's get you out of these wet clothes, hot chocolate is just what the doctor ordered" Coats and boots divested, Callie looked in the other room on their way back to the kitchen to find the blonde still fast asleep. A mere lump under the cover.

The mother-daughter duo made it through their steamy mugs of hot chocolate before finally settling in for the movie. Snuggled together on the opposite loveseat, Callie and Sofia sang softly along to "Do You Want to Build a Snowman".

"Mama?"

"Sof?"

The little girl paused, biting the inside of her cheek as she weighed her thoughts. "Is mommy alright?"

"What do you mean baby?" Callie tried to keep any trace of alarm from her voice.

"Mommy sleeps a lot. And her belly has baddies a lot too." The little girl turned in her mama's lap, expressing her concern over her other mother. "Sometimes I hear her when she thinks I'm sleeping at night. She gets sick, and grandma helps her." Small brows furrowed as she tried to put all the puzzle pieces together. Both mother's gushed to everyone about how smart their little girl was. But sometimes they wished some things got by the little girl.

Pulling her mini me impossibly closer, Callie took a second to really regard the young girl. There was a worry there… a worry neither mother ever wished to see housed in their beautiful baby. "Hey, hey… listen." A quick glance at the other couch ensured the blonde was still asleep. "Mommy is alright. It's nothing for you to worry about, okay?" Trying to decide if she should rely on what her mama was saying. Callie could see that Sofia wasn't convinced. "I've been thinking… How do you feel about coming here more often?" The young girl wasn't really clear on what was being said. "Mommy always comes to see you. What do you say we start visiting her too? And you can see your grandparents more. You like that idea?"

"Okay mama." The most amazing smile stretched throughout cherubic features. Arizona may not be biologically connected to Sofia, but somehow she had the blonde's beaming smile.

The rest of the movie passed with a very different tone than the night before. Arizona slept through to the end. Wrapped in her mother's embrace, Sofia barely made it ten minutes past the middle of the movie, again. "Callie?" Laying Sofia down as gently as possible, the brunette slipped out from the sleeping child. There was an urgency in the gruff timbre. "I- -I need my leg…" Cheeks bulged as Arizona sat up, letting out a slow breath. "I have to puke." She needed to make it to the bathroom.

"Here, lean on me." It was obvious how pale the already fair skinned woman was. The pasty pallor further informing the ortho surgeon that something wasn't right. "We'll get you in the bathroom, and I'll bring your prosthetic." The two women made their way to the washroom, the ailing blonde crumbled to the floor, the contents of her stomach angrily rebelled. Moving around the small space, the brunette looked for a way to be of help. She'd agreed to leave and return with the missing prosthetic. But there was no way she could leave Arizona like this.

"Callie, please go away." Tears stung at blue eyes, stomach lurching with more force than before. There wasn't much in there to begin with, only the small portion of oatmeal from breakfast. "Please."

The words sounded so painful. But she couldn't make herself leave. Picking up a cloth from the sink top the brunette dampened it, hoping to be of help. Watching the folded woman become so small physically pained her.

...

It took another two days before Callie and Sofia were able to return home. It had been almost two months now, life somewhat returned to the norm. Every day Arizona and Sofia would talk over FaceTime as much as they could.

But something started to happen. First it was just a 'hey, how are you?' text that led to more texts back and forth. Then a few weeks ago Callie was home bored. It was her day off. Seemed like the perfect day to just laze around.

The thought to maybe join her girlfriend for a surprise lunch was a fleeting one. Finished checking emails, a long slender finger hovered over the contact list. Nearly pressing the screen, she pulled back at the last second shaking herself to release the tension. Trying not to think about it, she pressed down quickly before her mind could be changed again.

Two rings in and she prepared to end the call, ready to blame the missed call notification on a butt dial. "Hello." The blonde's voice sounded from the small device. Hours later, the two women were so caught up laughing about case she'd recently had, neither realized how much time had passed. The alarm on her phone caused a vibration. Pulling it away to check the notification, Callie realized it was time to pick up Sofia from school.

For the first time in God knows how long, the two women really enjoyed each other's company. They were reluctant to end the call. Callie and Arizona found themselves on the phone every day since… until today. When she tried calling earlier while at lunch, the call went unanswered. Now it was the end of the day and Sofia hadn't been able to reach her over FaceTime either. Trying her phone again, the mother was surprised at the voice on the other end. "Barbara?"

"Callie… hi, dear."

"Hi… umm, we were trying to reach Arizona. Sofia wanted to tell her goodnight. Is she available?"

"Dear… Arizona's been admitted to the hospital."

 **XxxxxxxX**

**It can't all be fluffy…

 **So? What did you think? I hope you liked it… let me know? I appreciate all comments and shares. I really do love to hear your thoughts.**

 **xoxo**


	9. Chapter 9

**Can True Love Be Estranged?**

 **Author:** And24Trina

 **Pairing:** Calliope Torres/ Arizona Robbins

 **Rating:** T

 **Summary:** Callie and Arizona shared the love that most believe you can only experience once in a lifetime, stomped on too many times by life. Now they're divorced and living on opposite ends of the country. Can true love really be estranged, or are the two women destined to find their way back to each other?

 **Chapter:** 9/10

 **Disclaimer:** Shonda created them blah, blah, blah… So, this one will be shorter but I'm hoping just as good as The Ride… Really hope you like it.

Putting this up now so I can catch you guys up to the Tumblr crowd…

 **XxxxxxxX**

" _Dear… Arizona's been admitted to the hospital."_

…

 _Who planned the layout of this hospital? How does this even make sense?_ Getting turned around again, Callie was now somewhere between frantic and frustrated. Or maybe she was both. Panic… that's what she was experiencing. It was panic. Standing in the middle of the bland hallway, the ortho surgeon couldn't seem to gather her bearings. "Mama?"

"Yes sweetie?" Clutching tight to her little girl's hand, dark eyes furiously searched their surroundings.

"Callie." "Grandma!" Barbara called from the other end of the hall. Sofia spotted the elder woman as soon as she turned the corner. The little girl was off like a shot barreling toward her grandmother, leaving her dark haired mother behind. "Hey sweet pea." Engulfing the shorter brunette, a small smile appeared. "Oh, it's so good to see you. We've been missing you around here."

Finally reaching the hugging duo the ortho surgeon was finally able to breathe a little bit easier. Releasing Sofia, Barbara took one look at the older brunette and couldn't tell who was more in need of a hug. Callie practically fell into the shorter woman's embrace when arms were opened in her direction. It had been so long since she'd been on the receiving end of a motherly hug, and it was almost everything that she needed. "How is she?" Callie asked softly.

"She's okay." Barbara held the slightly taller woman at arm's length, hands comfortingly running up and down the brunette's arms. "Still asleep. But the doctor says they caught it just in time."

Last night when Barbara had answered her daughter's phone, Callie wasn't sure how she was still standing. _"Dear… Arizona's been admitted to the hospital."_ With that one sentence she was instantly transported back in time. Suddenly she was laying in their bed, clad in her new lingerie and her wife's plane was missing. There were only a few times the brunette would find herself back in that space; finding it difficult to dig herself back out. "It was a blood clot?"

"I'm not good with all of that doctor speak mumbo jumbo." Linking arms with the taller brunette, Barbara turned to direct them towards her daughter's hospital room. "She's had this god awful cough the last few days." Stepping up to the door of the waiting room, the grandmother didn't want to worry Sofia with details of her mommy's ailing health. "Sofia, what do you say to helping pop-pop? He was hoping you would help him draw a picture for your mommy. What do you say?"

"I can see mommy right after?" Sofia was trying to keep a brave face. She could tell her mama and grandmother wanted to talk without her. Young, she was. But the small brunette was also very smart. There was something that everyone wasn't telling her. Something about her mommy, and she wouldn't feel better until she could see her for herself. "I miss her."

Crouching down, Callie wrapped her little girl up in a strong hug. There was that worry both mothers had worked so hard to keep from taking over their daughter. Cupping cherubic cheeks, Callie pressed a kiss just atop a small dimple. "Your mommy loves your pictures so much, and you know she misses you too." Rubbing the pad of her thumb across the olive cheek, the mother wiped away the lipstick print. "Grandma and I are just going to talk for a little bit, okay?"

"Okay mama." Reluctant, the miniature brunette went into the waiting room with her grandfather. Just inside, he knew he had his work cut out for him. Genetics be damned, Sofia and Arizona had a connection just as strong as any other mother and daughter. And right now, all she wanted was her mommy.

Keeping Sofia in the dark about her battle with cancer wasn't meant to be selfish. Over the years, being a pediatric surgeon the blonde had seen so many tiny humans fighting against such big diseases and ailments. There were butterflies and happy colors on the walls, games and movies, crafts and toys… Just about anything that could lift their spirits, Arizona would implement it. Still… as much happy as the surgeon tried to share, when she would take a moment to look a little too long there was this sadness and worry that each child had. A worry that originally diminished Arizona's thought that she could ever be a mother. A worry, that when she knew she would be a mother, she hoped to never see in her own child.

But now everything was different. Arizona had gone to her treatment yesterday. She could tell something wasn't right. Just halfway into her infusion it all made sense almost a little too late. Somehow knowing symptoms to look for in a patient, and actually experiencing those symptoms yourself just didn't compare. The shortness of breath she equated to the cough, the cough she blamed on the season, the chest pain she blamed on the shortness of breath, the increased heart rate was the fault of the shortness of breath. All of which were in part only relevant because she had cancer.

This was the first treatment that one of her parents weren't sitting by her side. Arizona only had two treatments left, she sent her parents to lunch on her. One of her friend's from her support group, Amy, had treatment at the same time today. The two women would be there to support each other today. Amy was the east coast equivalent of April Kepner. She could talk for hours if no one stopped her. Telling what she felt like was a riveting story about the one time she decided to try internet dating, the time in the story where the women should've been laughing was only indulged by one side; causing Amy to finally really look at her blonde friend.

" _Arizona? Arizona? Are you okay?"_

" _Amy." Scared blue eyes looked up to meet her friend. "Tell the doctor it's a PE." The surgeon's words filled with pain barely made it out._

"Something about the chemo caused a DVT?" Barbara was trying to reiterate what she could remember from the doctor. She was hoping she didn't sound crazy. "A clot broke free, traveled to her lungs causing a…"

"Pulmonary Embolism." Callie supplied when the graying woman couldn't recall. "Will Arizona be upset that I brought her here?" Chewing on the inside of her cheek, Callie and Barbara stopped outside a patient room the brunette assumed was Arizona's.

They all understood and agreed to keep Sofia in the dark as much as possible. But now with the blonde hospitalized, Callie thought it best to bring their daughter to see her mother. There was a chance that Sofia could lose another parent, and they were in an entirely different state… Sofia didn't even have a clue that anything was even wrong with her mother. "I think she'll be relieved." The older woman hoped to comfort the ortho surgeon's decision to bring Sofia to the hospital. "I don't know how my little girl ever thought she wasn't cut out to be a mother. That baby is just about the best thing to ever happen for her. For all of the awards, and certificates, and accolades that she's gotten… the only thing Arizona ever puffs about is Sofia." Holding a tanned hand in her own, Barbara smiled thinking about how well her daughter had taken to motherhood.

Callie couldn't hold back the beaming smile. She already knew this, but hearing it now? There were few things better than seeing Arizona as a mother. If the brunette was really being honest with herself, the thought to bring Sofia was a no brainer. But even more than the mother-daughter reunion. Callie needed to see Arizona for herself. She needed to see that things were all right, or they at least had the possibility of being all right.

"Callie, how are you?" Taking a moment to really regal her ex daughter in law, Barbara could see what she'd heard on the phone last night. Callie was there for herself just as much, if not more than for Sofia or Arizona.

Meeting the familiar blues, had the same effect as the similar one's of her ex-wife. There was a knowing there. Even if Callie hadn't been ready to face it. Barbara knew, and she was just waiting for the brunette to get it herself. "Your daughter." Dark eyes closed momentarily, the brunette allowing the wall behind her to give its support. "For seven years we were together. And it was the most… intense, terrifying, crazy, devastating time of my life. Arizona is easily the most amazing person I know. Even when we were at our worst, she was still inside me… in my head." One more look into blue eyes gave Callie the courage to admit it. "I'm not ready for my head to be the only place where she exists."

"You go ahead in there. We'll give you two some time." Leaning up, Barbara pressed a kiss to an olive toned cheek before turning back down the hallway.

…

"Callie…" Peeking an eye open, confirmed the woman's presence. The familiar scent of cherry blossoms along with the strong silk like embrace around her own hand pulled the blonde back into consciousness.

Blood shot eyes melted into the soft cerulean. "Hey you… get enough sleep?"

"How long have you been here?"

"Not that long." Mindlessly, Callie intertwined their hands together. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh this?" Blue eyes danced around, motioning to their surroundings. "Compared to falling out of the sky? This isn't that bad."

Dark eyes narrowed. "You still suck at jokes."

Both women smiled… Arizona's significantly smaller than the beaming one directed at her. She was so tired. Keeping her eyes open was a struggle, until a thought came to mind. "Where's Sofia?"

Wincing slightly, she offered the truth. "In the waiting room with your parents." Arizona could see the guilt in tanned features. Sofia knew something was wrong with her. "She's really itching to see you."

"She knows?" tears sprung forth, burning at the back of her eyes.

"Not everything, no. Just that you haven't been feeling well." Standing from her seat the brunette picked up a Kleenex, passing it to the bed bound woman. "I think it's time we tell her Arizona." Callie tentatively sat back in the uncomfortable plastic seat.

"No." A hard glare poured from the double certified surgeon.

Taken back a little by the stern demand, Callie voyaged forward. "Arizona." She really hoped the blonde would listen. "She's a smart kid. She knows that something is up." Picking up a pale hand into her own, her heart ached when the blonde pulled her own hand back. "Arizona, you could've died. You could've died and your daughter wouldn't have known anything." She wasn't trying to scare her, no. But she needed to listen. "I get why we weren't telling her before, and I agreed. But Arizona… she deserves to know. Right now, she scared. And we're doing that to her. She's scared because she can tell that her moms are keeping something from her and she doesn't know what it is."

Turning away from the penetrating gaze, Arizona tried not to listen. A part of her knew that what her ex-wife was saying was right. She knew it. For months she had effectively kept this all to herself. When Sofia looked at her, there was no cancer. There was no sickness. The nausea was irrelevant. Fatigue, insignificant. The pain and other ailments… trivial. When she was with Sofia, Arizona wasn't battling cancer. No, she was just a mother. Well, maybe not _just_ a mother… She was a fearless badass that scared away the ghosts under the bed. The best story teller there ever was. She's a beautiful, strong, hilarious, protective, savvy, Disney loving, survivor. To Sofia… she was even a superhero.

The room was engulfed in a tense silence. Callie offered her peace, and if she knew anything about her ex-wife… she knew the blonde just needed some time to weigh the situation. Callie was right though, and Arizona knew it. She needed to talk to her daughter. There were plenty of details that would be left out. "Okay." Still facing the opposite wall, the brunette strained to hear the response. Callie didn't want to push Arizona, so she waited. "You're right."

Turning back to fully address the taller woman, slender fingers wiped at the fall of tears she'd failed to hold hostage. "She'll be okay." Needing to be closer, Callie pulled her seat up to the hospital bed. "She's healthy and safe and well-taken care of and loved. Because… we are her mothers." The ortho surgeon returned the speech that Arizona had given that last day of court.

More tears fell despite the valiant attempt to reign them in. Taking a few breaths, the blonde closed her eyes. She needed a moment to just… center herself. The anxiety the blonde was feeling was nearly crippling; then there was a tinge of calming at the thought of being able to see her little girl propelled Arizona to sit up in the bed as much as she could still be comfortable. "Help me sit up a little?" It took another few minutes or so before Arizona built up enough courage. She was left in the room alone while Callie went to the waiting room to get their daughter.

Each step was slow and calculated. The crescendo of heels clacking against linoleum rang in the brunette's ears, outweighing the excited reverberation of her bouncy mini me at her side. "Mommy's going to love my picture, right mama?" Pleased with her artwork, big dark eyes danced over the colorful paper in her hands. "It's you and me, and mommy at the zoo. This is a lion. And this is a monkey. It's like the monkey on mommy's doctor coat." Pointing out the characters, Sofia showed the paper off.

"Sweetie…" Stopping just short of the door to her ex-wife's room, Callie kneeled down tucking a stray lock behind the little girl's ear. "You know how your mom hasn't been feeling well lately?" Nodding her response, Sofia looked at her dark haired mother quizzically. "Mommy wants to talk to you about what's going on with her, okay?" Another nod, this time with a little less certainty. "When we go in the room mommy will look a little different. You might be a little scared, and that's okay. At any time if you feel the need to cry, that's okay too, all right?"

Brows furrowed in confusion as the little girl listened intently. "Okay mama." Answering softly, Sofia wasn't exactly sure how to respond to what was being said.

"Okay." Standing from her crouched position, the taller brunette nervously fidgeted, fixing her clothes. "Okay." Hand on the doorknob, Callie slowly lowered the handle pushing the door open. Stepping into the room first, Callie moved to the side to make space for Sofia to enter. "I'll be just outside."

"Stay. Please." Blue eyes moved from the open door to the form of her ex-wife, receiving a nod in response. Focusing back on the entryway both mother's realized Sofia was still stood in the hall, just outside the door. Slightly tilting her head to the side, Arizona's heart broke.

Dark round eyes locked in place; the picture that she couldn't wait to show off fell to the floor. Olive features contorted, a mix of anxiety and turmoil. The pump of the air compression treatment, the beeping monitors, Sofia had seen them before. To most other children the hospital equipment would have been overwhelming. But Sofia grew up around a hospital. It wasn't the machines that paralyzed her.

Her _mother_ was attached to these machines.

"Sofia… come on in sweet pea. We can show mommy your picture." Callie beckoned for their little girl to come inside. Without any words the young girl stepped inside the room still considering her surroundings.

"It's okay baby, take your time." Arizona didn't want to rush Sofia's processing. She could only imagine the onslaught of emotions swirling through her daughter at the moment.

Picking up the forgotten picture from the floor, dark eyes were gripped by the depiction on the page. Callie knelt down to her daughter's eye level hoping to meet her gaze. "Hey sweetie… want to show your mom what you made?" A beat of silence passed before the little girl lifted her head, slowly nodding in response. "Want me to sit with you?" Another nod in response.

Moving over to the chair that was still settled beside the hospital bed, Callie took a seat pulling Sofia into her lap. "Little miss, can I see what you made?"

Not looking up from the picture, Sofia spoke softly. "It's me, and you, and mama at the zoo." She passed the picture over for her mom to inspect.

"Oh baby, this is amazing. Is that the monkey from my lab coat?" A beaming smile erupted in pale features as she looked over the drawing. Finally, Sofia looked up into blue eyes, meeting the beaming smile with one of her own. The next few minutes the little family reminisced about the last visit they made to the zoo. It felt like forever ago at this point. After Dr. Herman had finally awakened after her surgery, Callie wanted to do something nice for her ex-wife.

"Mommy, why is your hair all gone?" Sofia surprised both mother's with the question after a lull in the conversation.

The room quickly sobered. After a moment of gathering her thoughts, Arizona invited her little girl to join her on the bed. "Sit with me cupcake? I want to talk to you." A little hesitant, Sofia looked back at her other mother for guidance. After an encouraging nod, with her mama's assistance the little girl hopped up on the hospital bed careful to avoid the iv in her mommy's arm. Running a finger over the cherubic cheek of her little girl, Arizona relished the connection. "Mommy looks different, huh?"

"Mhm."

"Do you know what cancer is baby?" It felt like sand had suddenly been poured into her mouth as the question rolled from her lips. She was hoping Sofia didn't know what it was. Grateful when a shake of her daughter's head gave the desired response. "I have an illness called cancer. The doctor is giving me medicine to help me get better. You know how sometimes I would feel sick or really tired, but other days I was fine? The medicine that helps me is really strong. Sometimes it makes me not feel so good."

Callie sat by in awe at the interaction between the mother and daughter. Both mothers knew their daughter didn't understand everything. But they sat and talked, letting Sofia know she could ask whatever questions she wanted. After a while Callie could tell Arizona was barely able to stay awake. "Mommy needs some sleep baby; we should let her rest."

"Don't go yet. Please? Can you stay until I fall asleep?"

It didn't take long for the blonde to fall asleep, Sofia in her arms. For a while Callie sat back watching the sleeping form of her ex-wife and their daughter. She couldn't help but to feel like she was supposed to be in the bed too, cuddled with her family. "Mama?" Sofia's soft voice broke the mother from her musings.

"Yeah baby?"

"How did mommy catch cancer?"

"Lots of people get cancer sweetie. We don't know why it happens." Taking the little girl's hand within her own, Callie rubbed gently over the small hand. "Mommy and I don't want you to worry all right baby? The doctors are taking good care of mommy. And we're expecting that mommy will get all better, okay?" Sofia nodded. "When mommy is all better I think we should plan another trip to the zoo, what do you think?"

"Can we stay here for a while?"

"Yeah baby, we can stay as long as you like."

 **XxxxxxxX**

 **So? What did you think? I hope you liked it… let me know? I appreciate all comments and shares. I really do love to hear your thoughts.**

 **xoxo**


	10. Chapter 10

**Can True Love Be Estranged?**

 **Author:** And24Trina

 **Pairing:** Calliope Torres/ Arizona Robbins

 **Rating:** T

 **Summary:** Callie and Arizona shared the love that most believe you can only experience once in a lifetime, stomped on too many times by life. Now they're divorced and living on opposite ends of the country. Can true love really be estranged, or are the two women destined to find their way back to each other?

 **Chapter:** 10/10

 **Disclaimer:** Shonda created them blah, blah, blah… So, this one will be shorter but I'm hoping just as good as The Ride… Really hope you like it.

The end is here… that actually made me a little sad to write that just now. Or, the end-ish I guess. There's an epilogue… Yay! Welp, onward and upward.

 **XxxxxxxX**

" _How did mommy catch cancer?"_

" _Lots of people get cancer sweetie. We don't know why it happens." Taking the little girl's hand within her own, Callie rubbed gently over the small hand. "Mommy and I don't want you to worry all right baby? The doctors are taking good care of mommy. And we're expecting that mommy will get all better, okay?" Sofia nodded. "When mommy is all better I think we should plan another trip to the zoo, what do you think?"_

" _Can we stay here for a while?"_

" _Yeah baby, we can stay as long as you like."_

…

"Let me run her inside, I'll call you right back."

"Okay." The two women ended the call. Arizona pulled on her prosthetic, wanting to make her way downstairs. She'd been released from the hospital a little over two weeks ago, and this was the first morning she awoke with a bit of sprightliness.

Her stomach seemed to be making nice, the usual ache in her bones felt a little dulled, but most importantly it was a new day and she was still alive. "Look who's up." Daniel Robbins sat his coffee mug down when he heard Arizona shuffle into the kitchen.

"I'm making breakfast." Barbara turned from the pancake she'd just flipped.

"It smells amazing. I thought I'd join you two down here this morning."

"Oh good." Moving from his seat, the father pulled another mug from the cabinet passing over a steaming cup of freshly brewed coffee. "You look like you're feeling better."

"I am." She nodded with an encouraging smile. "Mama, is that banana-nut?" Arizona asked giddily.

She could hear the excitement in her daughter's voice over the possibility of having her favorite. "You and your brother always had an obsession for these, didn't they Daniel?" The older woman laughed as she reminisced.

"Remember that time when she cried and wouldn't eat for the entire day because we were out of bananas?" Daniel shook his head, smiling at the memory. He could still picture it. Daniel was set to go off on another tour in a few days. The family purposely awoke a little early so they could all have breakfast together each morning before he would deploy. This morning there were blueberries in her pancakes instead of her beloved bananas. Sat across the table, the young girl pushed away the plate and crossed her arms over her chest.

The problem wasn't really the blueberries. Everyone knew it. There wasn't anything Arizona could do about her father being deployed. But she could protest breakfast. With tears, their spirited daughter took a stand. She wouldn't eat unless given the banana-nut pancakes like they had over the past week.

"There she was with those pig-tails, arms wrapped around her, just as spirited as ever wasn't she?" Barbara chuckled at the memory, platting her finished product.

Smirking, Arizona tried to not laugh at herself along with her parents. The effort didn't last long; she couldn't help it. "That led to a really bad idea to cut my own hair."

"Oh, we should find that picture. I want to put it on the Facebook." Barbara was pleased with her sudden idea, her excitement skyrocketed.

Arizona on the other hand was completely mortified. "Mom, don't you dare." Her eyes nearly bulged from her head. "I looked wounded in that picture." She recalled. That week of school pictures just wasn't her week. She was missing her two front teeth. Her father was being deployed. And the decision to give herself a protest haircut proved to be the worst idea of her young life. Instead of her parent's taking her to the salon to get the mess she had created fixed; they sent her to school to show off her handy work. "Let's not ever show those pictures to anyone. Ever." A shiver ran through her body at the thought of that godforsaken picture ever being released for public consumption.

"It's not that bad. I think it's cute." The father chuckled as he stood from the table, placing his dishes in the sink. "Whenever I was missing home I would look at that picture. It worked every time." Standing behind his daughter as she continued to delight in delicious pancakes, the man leaned forward pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"What time will Callie and Sofia get here?" The mother asked, passing the freshly washed dish over to her husband to dry.

…

" _I know what I want my prize to be." Callie declared a little pensively._

 _Blue eyes squinted in confusion. "Prize?"_

" _I won Hedbanz, I get a prize…"_

" _Hmm… you look like you're up to something." Arizona wasn't sure what was about to fall out of that beautiful mouth. "So?"_

 _She started out so strong, but her nerves started to give the brunette pause. Biting the inside of her cheek, Callie unwillingly built upon the tension. Arizona was smiling, and their conversation had been so light and fun up until now. Callie knew this had the potential to change everything. "Okay… I was thinking, and you know we've been talking with Sofia about everything…" Another apprehensive pause. "I want Sofia and I to come to your last chemo appointment with you." The words rushed out like captives finally being freed. "It's just that… you won Arizona. You won, and not everyone does. So we should celebrate. A little bit, the world should pause and rejoice. I want to pause and rejoice…"_

" _Okay."_

…

Talking around the mouthful of food, blue eyes captured a quick glance at the clock. "They're leaving after school. So they should get in this evening just in time for dinner." Arizona's appointment wasn't until Monday, but the little family wanted to have the weekend together as well.

Both parents eyed each other knowingly, not missing the beaming smile on their daughter's face. She seemed to slip into her own thoughts. "It's been nice having them around so much lately." The statement from her mother grew her smile exponentially as a warmth filled her.

"Yeah it has…" The last few weekends since Arizona was home from the hospital, Callie and Arizona had come to Boston to visit. And with their frequent talks through FaceTime throughout each day when they were apart almost diminished the distance.

Sofia and her blonde mother resumed their usual morning and nightly talks. But now Callie would usually join them. During bedtime all three would settle in for story time; alternating who would read each night. Once Sofia would fall asleep though, the calls didn't end.

Each night the two mother's found themselves talking late into the night. They would laugh and talk about everything and nothing at all. Neither woman would say it. But it wasn't lost on either of them how much these conversations felt like those late night talks a couple would have when you first start dating. There was something comfortable each woman was finding in the other.

Last week the clock was nearing one a.m., Callie noticed Arizona's yawns were growing longer and becoming more frequent. It was obvious she was tired. But talking to Callie again had been so nice Arizona just didn't want to end the call. When blue eyes just couldn't hold open any longer after a few long blinks, the brunette smiled at the soft snores calling through the speakers.

Callie didn't even realize she was watching her ex-wife sleep until she noticed her finger seemingly take on a mind of its own, sliding down the screen as if it was running over the pale skin of the woman on the other side of the screen. Suddenly the ortho surgeon felt like she was intruding a little on the other woman's privacy. Still she couldn't bring herself to end the call. It had been so long since she'd heard those soft snores coming from the pillow beside her… she missed it.

Callie remembered there was this cute way the blonde would scrunch up her nose in her sleep, like she was smelling flowers in her dreams. Dark eyes danced over the screen just in time to see the fair nose scrunch up in that adorable way. The brunette couldn't help the stunning smile that spread across olive features. Stomach swirling from butterflies, her heart skipped a beat, looking at the beautiful form of her slumbering ex-wife.

At some point during the night blue eyes fluttered open, the bright light of her iPad pulling on her senses. It took a few blinks to fight through the attack of the bright screen before her sleep fueled brain could focus on what she was seeing. There was Callie fast asleep. Arizona's breath hitched at the sight. She could tell she'd been propped up on the pillow on the other side of the bed. Callie had purposely left the call connected. What did that mean? There was too much fog to really consider the question right now. Reaching out toward the screen a slender finger adjusted the brightness. Settling back into her pillow Arizona smiled at the portrait of beauty that was Calliope Torres… A thought came to mind. Moving the iPad, Arizona sat the device up on the opposite pillow before settling back into the plush duvet. It only took a few minutes for the blonde to drift off back to sleep.

The next day neither woman talked about their night spent 'together', they shared slightly awkward good mornings before Sofia took over the call sending their day to progress normally. After that night, the two women fell asleep in the same fashion each night since. They would talk and talk until drifting off to sleep, propped up on the opposite pillow; neither disconnecting the call.

The second night there was a moment of apprehension, Callie could tell there was a question lying in wait on the blonde's tongue but some invisible force was playing barrier to its release. _"What's brewing in that pretty little head of yours?"_

 _Slightly squinting, a small pout formed in slender lips. Callie had just called her pretty… again. They had been talking morning, noon, and night unabashedly. And Arizona was a little confused. She hadn't seen any sign of or heard a peep about Callie's girlfriend. "Is Penny working overnight?" She thought that was a safe entry into a necessary conversation._

 _The brunette's face fell at the question, but it was more a look of guilt? Arizona was unsure. But what was clear, there was no trace of sadness at the mention. "No."_

 _Why? When? How? What? Where?... All questions channeling their inner nascar, racing through the blonde's head at irrational speeds. Not speaking, Arizona waited for Callie to elaborate; but she was met with silence and a look that begged to change the subject. There was something happening between the ex's, and even if neither would verbally address it, that didn't diminish the fact that it was happening; and they both knew it. Refusing to move on, Arizona sat in silent protest waiting for answers._

" _It didn't work out." Callie offered as a peace offering. Dark eyes easily read expressive pale features. "We'll talk about it, I promise. Just… not right now, okay?" A plump bottom lip was pulled between perfect teeth, anxiety filling tanned features._

" _Okay." And that was all to it. Their conversation moved on quickly, the joyful ease and comfort slipping right back in place._

"Would you two want to join me for a walk? We could get some fresh air." Arizona looked up to her parents with hope. This morning when getting dressed she'd noticed how beautiful it was outside. It was still cold out, but the sun was beaming. Looking out the window, it dawned on her; she couldn't remember the last time she'd actually stood in the sun.

The Robbins family enjoyed a slow stroll through the neighborhood simply enjoying just, being. It reminded the trio of the hiking trips they would take when she and Tim were younger. After a while they headed back home. Arizona wanted to lie down for a bit before Callie and Sofia would arrive.

…

"So… we did a thing." Dark eyes met similar one's in her mini me, both looking very mischievous.

"Okay…" Arizona wasn't sure what the two were up to. She wasn't sure if she should be happy or afraid.

"Please be okay with this." Both brunette's pulled off their hat at the same time.

"Ah!" Arizona surprised everyone with her shriek. Blue eyes bulging, feet moved without command propelling her forward. Fingers attached first to the shortened dark locks of her little girl before she whipped around almost unsteadily to regard the bashful taller woman.

"Are you mad? Do you hate it?" The question erupted from Callie who looked like she wasn't sure if she was in trouble or not.

Sofia stood between her two mothers beaming, like this was the happiest moment of her life. "We got haircuts mommy!" The little girl offered with pure jubilance.

Arizona may have fallen into a state of shock for a moment. Blue eyes rapidly moved from head to head. They had in fact gotten haircuts. One a little more drastic than the other. Closing her eyes for a moment, one eye peeked open just to make sure what she was seeing wasn't some hallucination or a figment of her imagination.

"I'm not mad." Arizona quickly offered when the smile on her little girl's face started to falter. "I am a little shocked though… or a lot shocked?" She rubbed over little dimples, kissing her baby girl's forehead. "You guy's got haircuts!" Arizona cheered, suddenly full of emotion.

"We donated our hair!" The small brunette was overjoyed to share. "Mama said it will help other people that have cancer too." Arizona had an idea of what influenced their cuts, but hearing her daughter so happy in her decision completely melted her heart.

That night Sofia and Callie sat down to dinner with the Robbins' enjoying the best pizza their local pizzeria had to offer. Stories of the blonde's childhood resurfaced pulling out fully belly laughs from the kitchen's population. The night was a celebration, and everyone fully gave themselves to the upbeat atmosphere. Tomorrow would be Arizona's last chemo treatment, followed by four rounds of radiation.

Yesterday the blonde had an appointment with her oncologist that gave her news that left her soaring. Upon her latest check her scans were clear. The radiation was recommended as an increased effort to reduce the risk of recurrence. But right now Dr. Trata was confident in calling it; Arizona was in remission.

"Can we have movie night in your room mommy?" Sofia finished brushing her teeth, meeting the reflection of blue eyes in the mirror. "We brought 'Finding Dory' with us."

"Yes, please!" After rinsing the paste from her mouth, Arizona answered excitedly. It always caused an eruption of fireworks in her at how much her little girl was just like herself. "Go help mama set it up, I'll be right out." She may have shared with Sofia that she had cancer, but she wasn't comfortable with taking her meds in front of her baby.

Standing on the tip of her toes the cherubic little girl pressed lips to her mommy's cheek, causing a tingle where lips were just pressed. "I love you mommy." Before her mom could respond Sofia enthusiastically bounced out of the bathroom in search of her mama.

By the time Arizona emerged from the bathroom Callie was still fussing over the Blu-ray player. Barely able to contain her excitement, Sofia sat at the top of the bed waiting for her mom's to join the party. Climbing into bed beside her baby girl, Arizona was on top of the world. Finally, the title appeared showering the room in the blue light emitting from the screen. "Okay." Callie turned on her heel, regarding the two in the bed. "Let's get this party started, shall we?" Looking around the room, a bit of hesitation was obvious in tanned features.

Blue eyes met wander brown's clearly reading the question being pondered behind them. "Come on mama, get in. It's starting." Sofia beckoned her dark haired mother over to the empty space in the bed. Still meeting the gaze of her ex-wife Callie silently waited for permission.

"Come on mama, you heard her. The movie is starting." Reaching over Sofia, Arizona pulled the duvet back as an invitation. In true Sofia fashion, the little bit barely made it half way through the movie before the events of the day completely zapped all of her energy. Callie and Arizona weren't far behind.

Sleepy blue eyes danced over the shaved sides of Callie's new hair-cut. There was still a little length at the top styled into a swoop. The change flawlessly accentuated the brunette's chiseled bone structure. But it also perfectly highlights deep emotional brown eyes. Somehow this cut epitomized the bad ass affectation of the ortho surgeon. "Why did you cut your hair?"

The question was asked so softly, Callie almost missed it. Turning on her side she lay on her side mirroring her ex-wife. Considering the question, the brunette ran her fingers through Sofia's shortened locks. It was a continued conversation that started between their daughter and her therapist that continued at home that prompted the discussion about hair. Sofia wanted to cut her hair like her mommy. By the end of the talk the mother and daughter were able to compromise. But something sparked inside the ortho surgeon. "You." The answer was simple. Well there was more to it but, when it all boiled down? Callie cut her hair in support of her ex-wife. "I should get her settled into bed."

Arizona tried to swallow the lump of emotion that formed in her throat. Closing her eyes didn't stop the liberation of tears streaming down fair cheeks. Reaching over the slumbering form of their daughter, a curled finger followed by the pad of the brunette's thumb wiped at the stray moisture. Grasping the hand before it could be pulled away, Arizona held the strong hand against her own cheek melting into the feel. "Stay."

They didn't need to offer any more words between each other in the moment. Cupping the fair cheek, the two hands stayed clasped together; the olive complexion played as the perfect opposite to the creamy one of the blonde. Blue eyes affectionately melting into dark chocolate orbs, both women allowing the gaze to speak what the mouths wouldn't.

They remained this way until Arizona finally drifted off to sleep, after prompting from the brunette. She had a big day tomorrow with her last round of chemo. She would need her rest. Callie was tired, but her mind refused to rest.

" _Dear God, I need your guidance. I kissed a peds surgeon."_

" _-You kissed a peds surgeon?" Addison interrupted her friend, surprise causing her words to run away._

 _Ignoring the question, Callie continued her prayer. "I never thought I'd end up with a woman, God, but- -I mean, not until lately- -but that- -that's not the problem." She digressed. "The problem is the peds thing. She's- -she's perky… and has butterflies on her scrub cap." Callie took a deep breath before continuing. Missing the amused look of her friend that was still seated just behind her. "But she's… also hot… really hot." Emphasis on the 'really'. "So… help me get over the butterflies. Amen." Before pushing from her knees, she followed through with the ritual of sealing her prayer by drawing an invisible cross from head to chest, and shoulder to shoulder. Turning back to her friend, Callie knew just the solitude Addison needed in the moment. "You're an amazing doctor. You save babies. God knows who you are._

Green eyes danced upward. "Do you really believe in all this… in God?" As a self-proclaimed wasp that only attended church on Christmas, Addison wasn't sure if she was too sure about this praying thing.

"Sometimes." Callie considered her own position on the being lately. "Well… most of the time, when it counts."

Smiling at the memory, Callie's mind drifted again.

" _I had a patient once who told me about his wedding day, and how they asked all the married couples to come to the dance floor to dance together."_ Mark's voice filled her mind. _"And then they asked the couples who'd been only married a year to sit down. And then five years, then ten years, twenty, and so on, until they got to the last two couples."_ Callie recalled the first time she and Arizona had sat to watch the video montage from their wedding. Mark's words had left them in aww. _"Uh, two sets of grandparents. Been together sixty years. Sixty years with the love of their life." He looked confidently into the lens. "That's gonna be your two at our granddaughter's wedding. Callie… Arizona… Congratulations. I love you."_

Tears pooled in dark eyes. Tears for the loss of life. And Tears for the loss of time. Wiping at the buildup of moisture, Callie quickly but carefully removed herself from the duvet. Rounding to the other side of the bed, she gently tapped Arizona. "Arizona…" She gently shook, hoping to moderately wake the sleeping woman. "Arizona…" Callie beckoned again, causing sleep filled blue eyes to flutter open.

"Callie?" Arizona was startled by the brunette's appearance beside her bed.

"I'm a doctor. And I heal people. That's what I was trained to do. For so long, you know? We spent so long learning to be healers. But you didn't need me to heal you." The words were rushing away from her so quickly, Callie wasn't sure if Arizona was following. "After the plane crash, and your leg. Then after the miscarriage. You didn't need me to heal you. You needed me to grieve with you."

Tears instantly pricked at the back of cloudy orbs, Arizona sat up with alarm, regarding her ex-wife with uncertainty. Why had Callie woken her so abruptly in the middle of the night, tears streaking down her cherry infused cheeks? "Oh Callie…" The cancer stricken woman threw her head back, willing the attack of tears to concede. Her mind raced, concerned over where this was coming from. So much time had passed.

"Arizona, I'm so sorry." The raw emotion clawed at the heavy atmosphere that suddenly engulfed the two women. Tears poured down blotchy skin, refusing to let up despite the attempt to end the onslaught. Words were barely decipherable through the uncontrollable sobs.

Without thought, Arizona pulled the bawling woman into her arms hugging her tightly. She could never stand to see the brunette cry, it felt like the most piercing pain was penetrating her heart. The two women latched onto each other like a lifeline. Callie kept repeating her apologies, Arizona responding with confessions of forgiveness. Leaning into her ex-wife's front, the brunette held Arizona's shirt in a vice grip with her face nestled into the crook of the blonde's neck.

Even after Callie's sobs subsided neither woman knew how much time passed; they were still latched onto each other. Leaning back into the mountain of pillows behind her, Callie lay against her front. Slender pale fingers ran through the shortened swoop of dark locks. Pausing her movements, Arizona contemplated her pending question. "Calliope?" For a second she wasn't sure if Callie had fallen asleep.

Lifting her head slightly, emotion streaked eyes looked up to the fair woman. "Hmm?"

"What brought this all on tonight?" She asked tentatively, not wanting Callie to go running for the hills.

Unable to break away from the gaze, the taller woman sat up from their resting form. Looking into those pools of blue, Callie knew she couldn't hold it in any longer. Or rather she didn't want to hold it in any longer. "I want my wife back Arizona." The words drew a shocked gasp from her ex-wife.

…

" _You better not be crying."_

" _I'm not." The new fetal surgeon tilted her head skywards just slightly, eyes stuck on the ceiling in attempt to keep the swell of moisture from overwhelming the border of lightly decorated lids. If her eyesight hadn't been stolen though, she would've seen her pupil's trembling bottom lip as the blonde attempted to sell the lie. Her ears though, her ears did not deceive. The soft exhale from the woman standing beside her hospital bed was a tattle tell. There were tears. "Are you all right?" After a moment the blonde made a valiant attempt to keep the quiver out of her voice as she asked._

 _With a shake of the head the elder woman scoffed with a soft sigh and a shake of her head. Was she all right? She hadn't had time to ponder that within herself yet. "I don't know." Dr. Herman answered as honestly as she could in the moment. "It'll take a while to sink in. I don't think you're going to want to be around me when it does. That will be ugly."_

" _I will be." Arizona declared. And she would. Over the past few months this woman had both physically and emotionally beat the hell out of her. Changed the trajectory of her life forever. And somehow the two women built an impenetrable bond. "If you want me to, I'll-"_

" _You're missing the point." Dr. Herman cut of her mentee's declaration. "You're so thick, Robbins. You're always just to the left of the point. The point is I'm going to get to figure it out. Something is going to happen next." She paused for a moment to allow it to really sink in… a small smile pulled at her features as that though sunk in to herself as well. "The point is I'm alive." That thought, in that moment, was possibly the most rewarding moment of her life. "And I wouldn't be if you hadn't been such a pain in my ass." Lifting her hand, Dr. Herman extended it, Arizona meeting the embrace in acceptance of the heartfelt gratitude. Dr. Herman had just given her the credit of saving her life. "I picked the right horse." The whispered words barely made it around the lump of emotion in her throat._

…

Some lessons that you come across are for the moment. Others for the future. The lesson that Dr. Herman taught that day? That one had propelled the blonde to stand in the mirror right now, tears streaming as she took in her own beaming smile. Through all of the ups and downs. The heartbreak. A plane crash. Losing her leg. Her miscarriage. The failure of her marriage. Being diagnosed with cancer. Being offered a diagnosis of certain death. The point? She's alive.

Her long flowing blonde locks may have been sacrificed in the battle. Once thick brows now thinned to a near nonexistence. Her once peppy full figure was a much smaller version of itself. She had every reason to just give in. At times it seemed like the universe got some kind of thrill out of throwing the shittiest parties her way. **Some days there won't be a song in your heart. Sing anyway.** Blue eyes held the post-it with the Emory Austin quote scribbled in Callie's fancy scrawl. She could've curled up and gave up, but she didn't.

She lived.

Walking out of the hospital doors after completing her final round of chemo, excited whooping sounded from her family. Dressed in uniquely decorated shirts declaring their support for the fight against cancer stood, Daniel, Barbara, Callie, Sofia, and a few of the women from her support group. Bells rang exuberantly, kazoos roared an unwritten tune, confetti was thrown up before drizzling around her. Front and center was Sofia holding an oversized sign with the help of her dark haired mother that read: My Mommy Kicked Cancer's ASS!

She lived.

Stepping up to the group, Arizona was overwhelmed by the love that surrounded her. She was in awe, loving the creative signs being held up by the group. Standing there on the sidewalk under the beaming sun, blue eyes closed as Arizona completely gave herself into the moment. Face up to the sky, a hand came up to grasp the heart shaped pendant dangling from her neck. Short arms wrap around her legs followed by longer, stronger arms wrapping around her waist. Her two girls wrapped themselves around her pouring everything into her that she needed in this moment. Plump lips pressed into her own, Callie was unable to hold back any longer.

She lived.

The loss of her brother. The loss of her best friend. A hospital shooting. A near tragic car accident. Finding love. Discovering love. Investing in love. A plane crash. A miscarriage. Loss of self. Loss of passion. Loss of vision. Loss of limb. Loss of love. Cancer. In the midst of an ugly custody battle; the diagnosis of breast cancer. Sentenced to death. But… Against all the odds.

She lived.

 **XxxxxxxX**

 **So? What did you think? I hope you liked it… let me know? I appreciate all comments and shares. I really do love to hear your thoughts.**

 **This one took a little longer than I expected, I'm sorry. I just wasn't satisfied. So, good news… There's an epilogue! That's good news, right?**

 **xoxo**


	11. Epilogue

**Can True Love Be Estranged?**

 **Author:** And24Trina

 **Pairing:** Calliope Torres/ Arizona Robbins

 **Rating:** T

 **Summary:** Callie and Arizona shared the love that most believe you can only experience once in a lifetime, stomped on too many times by life. Now they're divorced and living on opposite ends of the country. Can true love really be estranged, or are the two women destined to find their way back to each other?

 **Chapter:** Epilogue

 **Disclaimer:** Shonda created them blah, blah, blah… So, this one will be shorter but I'm hoping just as good as The Ride… Really hope you like it.

**I've scrapped and re-written this chapter more times than I'm willing to share… But this one, I think my muse is finally happy with. Really hope you guys like it…

 **XxxxxxxX**

"Years of love, followed by heartache.

Those are the years that define me.

Those are the years that know-

love's eternity is you."

-C. Elizabeth

 _My dearest Calliope,_

" _I fell in love when you woke me up…" That line from that Ed Sheeran song kind of sums it all up for me. So many times I think of how I nearly got in my own way and missed out on the greatest love a girl could ever wish for._

 _Our story was the stuff movies are made of, right? I mean, I walked into a dirty bar bathroom and kissed you! I don't know that I ever really told you, but that kiss… it changed my life forever. All that 'newborn' stuff? There was something in that kiss that I'd never felt before, and it scared me. So I tried to run. But I couldn't. You were always it for me. I knew it that first time that our lips touched._

 _Do you remember that weekend we went away to Miami? The midnight picnic? We laid under the stars making up names and stories for the constellations. We'd only been dating a few months, but I knew that night you would be my wife one day._

 _Thank you for the most amazing love story of all time Calliope. I fell in love when you woke me up. You woke me up Calliope. You. Please don't hold unto all of that. It's okay to share it. Don't close off your heart. I still stand by what I said in the bathroom that night. There will be people lining up for you._ An old man once proved to me that you can even find love when you're 85!

 _You and Sofia will be okay. I know it. Because you are you, and you are an amazing mother. I have no doubt that our little girl will have all of the love in the world. She's amazing, isn't she? We didn't get it all wrong. One day when she brings home her first girlfriend… or boyfriend… be nice Calliope. Just make sure whoever it is, treats our little girl right._

 _I so wish I could be there to see our little girl get married. She's going to be such a beautiful bride. If she looks anything like you did on our wedding day someone should stand really close to the groom in case, he or she faints. I swear, I still don't know how I kept my knees from buckling when you started walking towards me. That smile right there, that beaming, radiant smile… you are so beautiful. Keep smiling._

 _Walk tall Torres,_

 _Arizona_

Holding the sheet of paper to her chest, tears unabashedly streamed from dark eyes. Wiping at the moisture had little effect, as the onslaught of memories of the beautiful blonde nearly overwhelmed the brunette. The letter even smelled of Arizona's signature scent. Taking in a long draw of the paper, Callie basked in the ambiance of the familiar scent.

"Callie? Are you okay?" The brunette heard a voice call from outside the room. "Babe, what are you doing down there?"

Tanned hands quickly wiped at the continued moisture streaming down flushed cheeks before trying to smuggle away the letter that stirred up all these emotions. "Huh?"

"Sweetie, are you crying? What's wrong?"

Before she could effectively bury the paper back inside the box she'd found it in, her wife rounded the bed. She had been caught. Halting her movements, it was unclear why she felt so caught. "Sofia needed a picture for her project. I thought we kept the wallets in here." Callie pointed toward the open box, still using the other hand in attempt to clear the emotion from her features. "I found this." She offered the letter.

Pale hands opened the letter, not needing to read it to know exactly what it was. "Oh, Calliope…" Arizona sat down on the edge of the bed. "I forgot all about this... I honestly don't even know why I still have it." Folding the paper, the blonde replaced it back inside of its envelope. "Come here." She pulled the taller woman up from her perch on the floor, offering the spot on the bed beside her wrapping her arms around her lover's waist pulling the brunette in.

Nothing was said, both women melting into each other. "That night in Miami, I swear I had to keep pointing out more constellations to keep from proposing to you right then and there." Callie recalled, pulling a fair hand into her own lap, playing with the diamond encrusted ring she'd been so proud to put there just a three years earlier. "Mark said it was too early." Shoulders shrugged. "But I knew… I already knew it, even then."

"Oh yeah?"

"Absolutely. We're meant to be."

Arizona turned, pressing a kiss to the softly tinged caramel cheek of her wife. "I love you, you know that?" Blue eyes met the chocolate orbs of her lover, watering at the pure look of love exuding from the other woman. "I didn't think I'd ever get to have this with you again." Arizona spoke, catching her wife's hand that had come up to swipe away the tears. "I mean, I thought that I had it and I screwed it up, and that was over." 

…

 **4 years ago**

" _What brought this all on tonight?" She asked tentatively, not wanting Callie to go running for the hills._

 _Unable to break away from the gaze, the taller woman sat up from their resting form. Looking into those pools of blue, Callie knew she couldn't hold it in any longer. Or rather she didn't want to hold it in any longer. "I want my wife back Arizona." The words drew a shocked gasp from her ex-wife. "I want my family back."_

 _Reminded of advice from her late best friend, Callie's confidence flourished._ _ **"Somehow we forget that all that matters is people. And whether we walk away leaving them better or worse for having met us. We control that."**_ _Mark spoke directly to his friend._ _ **"I want you to promise me something. If you love someone, you tell 'em. Even if you're scared that it's not the right thing, even if you're scared that it'll cause problems, even if you're scared that it will burn your life to the ground, you say it, and you say it loud. And then go from there."**_ _The conversation replayed in her head, pushing her mouth to move of its own accord._

"If you love someone, you tell 'em. Even if you're scared that it's not the right thing, even if you're scared that it'll cause problems, even if you're scared that it will burn your life to the ground, you say it, and you say it loud. And then go from there." The words fell from plump lips. "I love you Arizona, I always have. I-I love everything about you. Even the things I don't like, I love." A tanned hand maneuvered to cup a fair cheek. "And I want you with me. I love you, and I'm pretty sure that you love me, too." Searching crimson streaked pools of blue, Callie asked. "Do you?"

"Yes."

…

 **Present**

CRASH. "Moms!"

"Your children are calling."

"Oh, my children huh?" A slender finger playfully poked her wife in the side.

Bubbly laughter fell from plump lips. "The way I hear it, they get all of that rambunctiousness from you." A tanned hand gestured around in her wife's direction, both women laughed at the truth of the statement.

"We moved around a lot, Tim and I had to do something for fun."

"Fun, Arizona?" Callie released a full belly laugh at that, getting shrugged shoulders in response from the shorter woman. "Leaving your enemies mayo filled donuts is so wrong. Where did you even get the idea for something like that?"

"We asked Jeeves!" Arizona joined in her wife's laughter, thinking of the memory. "Besides, those kids deserved it. They were so meeaannn." She elongated the word, stressing her point.

"You two were so _bad_."

"Bad, huh?" Standing from her spot on the bed, Arizona turned in front of the still seated brunette. Softly pushing her backwards onto the mattress, the shorter woman straddled her lover. "I'll show you bad…" She leaned forward, licking the shell of a caramel ear. "Very bad…" The moist tongue trailed a scorching path down to the thrumming pulse point, sucking at the skin found there getting a guttural moan from the woman beneath her.

A surge of desire pushed strong hands to wrap around the firm ass of the woman above her. Their surroundings completely dissolved, the two women completely indulged in, "MOMS!" The door to their bedroom burst open. "Sam and Dylan are destroying the house. They won't leave me and Zola alone!" Sofia was upset to say the least.

"Probably a good thing we didn't make it to those ten kids, huh?" Callie spoke under her breath.

"Moms! Ugh!" The ten-year-old stomped her foot, her frustration at being seemingly ignored growing.

One more quick peck to plump lips, blue eyes looked up from her perch atop her wife taking in the sight of their daughter. Sofia was every bit the spitting image of her mama. Arizona struggled to keep a smile from forming at the sight. It wasn't that she was amused by the distress of her daughter… sometimes it was all just so, surreal. "Come on mama, looks like the terrible twos are 'destroying the house'." The two moms popped their little bubble, Arizona reluctantly leaving her post.

"We should probably…" Callie motioned over her shoulder toward the hallway.

"Yeah, but first…" The shorter woman leaned forward, blonde locks framing her face, soft lips pressed into the still pulsating red painted ones. Pulling back, soft cerulean met deep chocolate; everything was conveyed in that one look. "I am so in love with you."

"You, Arizona Robbins, are the love of my life." The brunette leaned forward, pulling her wife back in for one more deep embrace.

Sofia loved getting to see her mom's like this, but they needed to get up and stop making goo-goo eyes at each other and wrangle in her little brother's. She and Zola were trying to paint nails. Of course with all of the colors, the twins wanted to paint as well. "Moms!"

"I think today is perfect for a day at the park, what do you say?" Callie proposed. "We'll set up a blanket for the girl's and the boys can run around until they drop."

When Arizona had gone to her one-year check-up, the news of being cancer free set something off within in her. That night she lay in bed with her new wife, unsure if the other woman had already drifted off to sleep. Unable to hold it back any longer, the words fell away unwilling to be held captive any longer. "I want to have a baby."

The entrance she was making into sleep land was quickly revoked. Not speaking, dark eyes danced around the dimly lit room waiting for more words. It didn't take much convincing for Arizona to get Callie on board. Before treatment, Arizona had some eggs frozen for the just in case.

Agreeing to a surrogate and finding a sperm donor happened almost over-night. When the OB gave them the news they were getting a two for one special, the mothers were over the moon. Just two years after finding their way back to each other, the couple welcomed two beautiful baby boys; Samuel Benjamin, and Dylan Anthony Robbins Torres.

On the way to the park, the family stopped to pick up a pizza. Arriving to the playground, the food was quickly devoured. Now, Arizona sat with the girls painting nails while her wife chased after the boys.

After a while, Callie joined her wife on the blanket, winded from all the running around. Nails completely dried, Sofia and Zola decided playing with 'Sam-I-Am' and 'Dill pickle' as the family lovingly referred to the toddlers, wasn't so bad. "Are we really ready to start all over again?"

Arizona laughed at the question from her wife. "Oh sweetie, Brianna will be here any day now… I think it's a little late for that question." Their surrogate was carrying their baby girl, due to make her arrival any day now. "I think we're awesome parents." The blonde turned, dropping a kiss on the caramel cheek.

Leaning into the taller woman, a smile crept across porcelain features. Just a few years ago she was divorced, living on the opposite end of the country from her daughter, and given a sentence of leaving her daughter to mourn her memory. Completely estranged, the relationship with the woman once thought to be the love of her life, was the very definition of torrential.

Or was it? If they were ever truly in love, could they ever really be estranged? Can true love be estranged? Lying in her wife's arms, the question passed through the blonde's mind. 'The lane of love is narrow; there is room for only one.' The quote from Indian poet, Kabir, came to mind. Arizona had found hers, and was determined to never let her go again.

 **XxxxxxxX**

 **So? What did you think? I hope you liked it… let me know? I appreciate all comments and shares. I really do love to hear your thoughts.**

 **That's all folks! Thank you for going on this journey with me. You all have been nothing short of absolutely amazing. Now back to 'The Ride', a new update will be out soon.**

 **xoxo**


End file.
